Pure Rhapsody
by Angelic Candy
Summary: 7th year.Harry and Draco's rivalry heats up as the future is clouded with uncertainty.His obsession with Malfoy grows as he uncovers an ancient myth.And when Malfoy is framed for murder,events transpire and dangers emerge altering their relationship.HD
1. Prologue

_**Pure Rhapsody**_

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling and I'm just using them for sinister purposes _evil snicker_

_**WARNING: Sexual content between males!**This is rated Mature (M) for a reason. So if you're underage, or you might take offense to this, I'm not responsible for your choice to read this._

**Author's Note: I am going to warn you ahead of time, this is a different take on Harry/Draco's relationship than I normally do. It's not as light-hearted. Draco is super stubborn in this because he's so full of anger not just because of how he was raised but because of everything he went through with the war and everything. The way J.K. Rowling portrayed him throughout the books was that he was arrogant, stubborn, cruel and judgmental and very reserved in his feelings. This is how I've portrayed him in this story. It doesn't end badly, it's just a darker take on how their romance develops. **

**Pairing:_Draco/Harry_**

Synopsis: Harry is distressed from the war and all the burdens forced upon him even after there is hope that Voldemort may be gone for good. Along with that uncertainty, Harry continues to distrust many people but especially Draco Malfoy after he bumps into him in the Ministry. Harry's suspicion surrounding the Malfoy heir heightens to obsession. And when Harry discovers a mysterious legend that could potentially destroy any hope of peace, he targets Draco as his suspect and trails him to a prestigious and mysterious school where things start to take an interesting turn.

_**Prologue:**_

_**The Daily Prophet**_

_Since the end of last spring there has been death and destruction everywhere from England to Scotland and Ireland, raging around the world. You-Know-Who was gaining more power than the first time he caused massive chaos. Many people were fleeing to the muggle world for their lives and were trying to hide from the Dark Age. This reporter as well took time off but now it seems as though the Dark Age might be gone for good._

_However they did it, Minister Scrimageour and the remaining Order of the Phoenix members managed to capture many of You-Know-Who's followers during an attack on a town. They had surrounded them with a massive anti-apparation charm. Without being able to escape they were easily outnumbered. A battle broke out but Minister Scrimageour and his aurors eventually won. The other day, Minister Scrimageour was interviewed and had this to say:_

"_It was a most difficult and risky choice but we were sure that if the death eaters were captured it would make it almost impossible for the Dark Lord to continue to be such a threat. After all, it is obvious he relies so heavily on his followers."_

_There you all have it. The Minister somehow, miraculously or maybe strategically, figured out where the death eaters would attack next and since about thirty death eaters and other followers were captured You-Know-Who has retreated. As long as the Minister continues to do his job so well the rest of us should be safe to continue our lives without hiding. When asked if he thinks You-Know-Who will try and wage a war again or obtain his followers in the near future, the Minister responded:_

"_It is unlikely as we have many of his allies which are being held in a new fortress prison Azcar, surrounded by giants and aurors. All of his allies will be executed after all of them have been given Veritaserum to tell us everything about the Dark Lord. So far, none have said he is plotting anything. It is clear he has retreated out of fear and as long as his allies are executed and the giants and vampires remain neutral, he will not return. I guarantee it."_

_Minister Scrimageour has saved us all! And very shortly any threats will be gone. And remember, the Minister will be appearing in various towns to speak so be sure to get his autograph!_

_Rita Skeeter_

The article was crumpled hastily into a ball and thrown into the fireplace. Slumping back against the velvet cushion of the chair, Harry watched the article magically disintegrate with a small sizzle. He was beyond furious at the Minister now. Minister Scrimageour had taken all the credit without having mentioned that it was Harry who tipped him off where the death eaters would be attacking next. He hadn't planned on telling the Minister, because the Minister expected him to fight in the front line with the rest of the aurors and remaining Order of the Phoenix members.

Harry knew if he had done that they would all have been relying on him to stand in front of them and defeat Voldemort's allies mainly by himself. Then again, Harry figured one of the main reasons Scrimageour took up the Minister position when no one wanted it during a time when the burden of a coming war was prominent was because Scrimageour thought that he would be able to get Harry to do most of the work for him. Essentially, it ended up that way even though Harry didn't work with him during the war.

Harry had been on his own trying to figure out a more permanent way to destroy Voldemort by finding all his Horcruxes and eliminating them. The Minister thought it was a waste of time and that a better way was to surround them and outnumber them, but Harry knew better. He was aware that Voldemort was much more clever than that and even if the death eaters were outnumbered, Voldemort couldn't die or be defeated unless his Horcruxes were destroyed. The Minister didn't seem to believe him and Harry figured it was because the Minister didn't want to believe Voldemort was really immortal so he refused to believe in Horcruxes.

Harry had risked his life by forcing himself to get a premonition through his scar. He knew it was dangerous and that if he were to risk using his bond with Voldemort again the Dark Lord would have much easier access into his mind than before. Not to mention, it wasn't easy getting into Voldemort's head after he figured out Harry could. However, Harry discovered a useful potion by accident. He was brewing a dream potion to see if he could dream up a premonition and accidentally a bottle containing a freezing potion fell in. Harry thought it had ruined the potion, but Hermione had told him he had, miraculously, accomplished making a very advanced and rare potion: an astral projection potion.

When Harry drank it, he was able to concentrate hard enough to get through to Voldemort's thoughts without being detected, at least long enough to see his next plans. And he had decided on telling the Minister at the last minute because he wasn't sure he could do it by himself. It turns out that the Minister used his information to his advantage and managed to bribe quite a number of giants and former Order of the Phoenix members to surround the place, cloaked by invisibility. The moment the death eaters showed up they cast a massive anti-apparation spell and proceeded to battle and trap the death eaters with their advantage. However, they only went through with it because Harry had told the Minister that Voldemort himself wouldn't be there.

What made matters worse was that Scrimageour was also reassuring the public that Voldemort wouldn't return. Harry knew that as long as Voldemort was still alive he would be plotting his next moves. And it always turned out that every time one of Voldemort's plans failed, his next one was often more complex and harder to stop. Even without many of his death eaters, if the Minister managed to execute them all before Voldemort gained enough power or a plan to get his followers back, Voldemort would never quit. After all, when Voldemort was defeated by Harry as a baby he spent years as a bodiless spirit, doing nothing but possessing small animals and living in dark places just biding his time. That kind of patience and, in Harry's opinion, psychotic determination was impossible to stop or predict.

The Minister was being foolish but there was nothing Harry could do at the moment. Voldemort had probably figured out it was Harry who tipped off the Minister after many of his death eaters had been captured, Bella Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy among them. Snape had vanished without a trace and the other bunch of death eaters that hadn't been captured had fled into hiding. There was a chance that Voldemort would hunt out the remaining death eaters and force them to aid him—that was another risk. Scrimageour had said several days ago when he had given a speech in Hogsmeade, that he was sending out aurors and giants left and right to find the remaining death eaters. Harry doubted that would be enough. Voldemort would find a way to wreak havoc even without followers.

The Gryffindor portrait swung open and Hermione and Ron entered the room. Harry glanced over at them and saw that Ron was carrying a plate of food. Staring back into the fire, Harry wished yet again that it would all be over soon. If he could forget about Voldemort, the Ministry and the fame, criticism and torture that came with his scar, he would be satisfied.

"Harry, we brought you something to eat," Hermione said, smiling softly.

"I'm not hungry," Harry grumbled, pulling a leg up on the chair as he continued to stare into the fire.

He didn't notice the looks exchanged by his friends.

"You have barely eaten anything these past couple of weeks," Hermione urged.

Harry shrugged carelessly. "I grew up being starved by the Dursleys, remember? I think I can go a few weeks without eating much."

"Harry," Hermione said firmly.

Ron sighed, setting the plate down as he slumped onto a nearby couch. "Look mate, we know how you feel. It's hard for all of us."

"I know," Harry said quietly, glancing at Ron. "Is there any word about Percy?"

Ron's expression darkened. "No, mum's extremely upset. Even though we haven't gotten along with him, it seems he has just vanished. I mean, at least before we would know when he was with the Ministry or not."

"I'm sure he'll turn up," Hermione said hopefully.

Ron looked away and Harry remained silent for several minutes.

"I'm grateful those bloody murdering bastards are getting executed this weekend," Ron spoke up.

"Yeah, but Voldemort's still out there," Harry said darkly. "And as long as he's still alive there's always a chance at another war."

"But it'd be more difficult without his death eaters, right?" Ron asked.

"That's what the Minister wants everyone to believe. I think he believes it himself too," Harry's eyes narrowed. "But I know Voldemort by now and he's not the type to give up, no matter what."

"Bloody hell," Ron grumbled, rubbing at his eyes. "We've gone through enough already."

Hermione sighed heavily. "Yeah and it doesn't help that the Minister is making the executions public."

"Why? I think that's a good thing," Ron said heatedly. "Everyone wants to tell those murdering assholes what they think of them. I mean, if someone you cared about was murdered by them, wouldn't you want to watch them die?"

"Revenge isn't something I agree with," Hermione retorted firmly. "But at the same time, I do realize that keeping them alive even in the new fortress is dangerous because V-Voldemort will most likely attempt to break them out."

Ron winced at the name, but Harry hardly noticed. "Yeah, I can't wait till I see the Malfoys executed!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione's head swiveled around, looking surprised. She opened her mouth then closed it. "Well, Lucius Malfoy for sure will be executed because it has been proven he was a willing follower and murdered quite a number of people, plus other crimes. His wife didn't murder anyone, but she's going to be executed anyway because she refuses to denounce her allegiance to the Dark Lord. Plus she has the Dark Mark as well."

" 'course she does! She's a Malfoy! They're all evil! And I can't wait to see the look on Malfoy's face when he and his family are ridiculed and killed in front of everyone!"

"If you mean, Draco Malfoy," Hermione said, casting a disapproving glance at him for his excitement in watching death, "he's not going to be executed."

"What? He nearly killed Dumbledore! And he's the reason the Death Eaters got into Hogwarts!" Ron exclaimed, sitting up in outrage.

"Maybe, but they can't execute people who are eighteen or younger. Malfoy is only seventeen like us. It's illegal to murder juveniles," Hermione said as if it was the most obvious fact.

Ron scowled in disappointment and clenched his fists. "Well, as long as he rots in Azkaban or some prison I'll be happy!"

"Can juveniles be sent to Azkaban?" Harry spoke up, having been lost in thought listening to them as they argued.

Hermione glanced at Ron nervously and then shook her head. "Not Azkaban. Juveniles can have their wands broken or taken away and be sent to a penitentiary only…well, they don't exist anymore."

"What the hell does that mean?" Ron snapped.

"Back in the early 1800's, much after it was ruled unjust to execute juvenile wizards and witches for crimes, they realized the penitentiaries weren't working out. Some reformed, but many didn't. Ironically, years later the number of juveniles committing crimes decreased even though the penitentiaries hadn't seemed to help so they decided to take them away. There was also a strong correlation between the criminal juvenile and the way they were brought up. Most of the time after that if a young person committed a crime but one or both of their parents or family members were involved in the Dark Arts or somehow connected, they sentenced the family or parents and just took away the wand of the juvenile and sent him or her to an orphanage," Hermione explained, pushing back her long, wavy brown hair.

"So what will happen to Malfoy then?" Harry asked curiously.

Hermione pursed her lips in thought. "I suppose, if anything, they'll take away his wand and keep him somewhere safe where he can't get in touch with any of his family."

"An orphanage?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Well, no, because until both his parents die he's not technically an orphan. Not to mention he only has less than a year, maybe only a few months depending on when his birthday is, until he's considered an adult so the likelihood of that is small," Hermione stated calmly, as Ron scowled again. "But he's going to have to make up for the things that he has done. I'm not sure if he has actually been charged with anything or not. He may just be forced to do community service for the Ministry or someone. And I'm pretty sure his wand would be taken away, at least until he completes a certain amount of community service tasks."

Ron murmured something under his breath but Harry was too far away to hear what he said. He wasn't sure how much Malfoy had done, or if he had committed anything as high as murder. The blond hadn't been able to kill Dumbledore, but it had been a while now since the end of sixth year so there was no telling what Malfoy was like or even what he had done since then. Harry couldn't believe the war had ended so abruptly. Technically, it had begun the previous year when Voldemort was after the prophecy in the Ministry but even during years prior Voldemort had attempted things. So perhaps the war had really begun when Harry came to Hogwarts.

Still, raids upon towns and many deaths and disappearances all happened soon after Dumbledore's funeral. From what Harry heard the adults say, it was much more disastrous than the first Dark Age when Voldemort first came to power years ago during the time that Harry's parents were alive and part of the Order. Percy went missing and a number of Hogwarts students either vanished or were murdered. Pansy Parkinson's family vanished so it was unclear whether they were in hiding because they had willingly joined Voldemort's ranks during the war, or if they had been killed.

Most likely after all the Death Eaters were forced to drink Veritaserum, the Ministry would know most of who had been killed. And Blaise Zabini had been killed during a Death Eater raid. He and his family had also joined Voldemort's ranks. He had been killed by an auror who had been targeting another Death Eater that was attacking him and the other Death Eater apparated out of the way in time, but Blaise had been thrown off his feet and when he had landed his neck snapped. Many others had been injured as well. St. Mungo's was completely packed and families were still in hiding because they were too afraid to come out.

Hogwarts still had many students because it remained one of the safest places, but Harry knew that Hogwarts was always a main target of Voldemort's. So as long as Voldemort was alive, he would try and find other ways past the shields. Luckily, since Draco Malfoy's clever scheme, the Room of Requirement had been sealed off entirely. Harry had also heard recently that the other schools that had been shut down, such as Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, among others, might be reopening by Christmas, which happened to be only a couple months away.

"I think I'm going to go to bed," Hermione said, standing up. "I'll see you both tomorrow."

"Night," Harry said quietly.

Ron nodded to her and watched as she went up the stairs toward the seventh year girl dorms. Silence hung around them and Harry stared back into the fire. After a few minutes, Ron cleared his throat to get his attention.

"I think I'm going to go to bed too," he said, stretching as he stood up.

Harry nodded wordlessly and Ron disappeared up the stairs to the seventh year boys' dorms. Although he hadn't gotten much sleep over the course of the war, especially the past few weeks as Voldemort's terror spread and death hung like a cloud in the air, Harry didn't feel like going to bed. Footsteps sounded and Harry thought at first that Ron was coming back downstairs until he realized it was coming from the direction of the stairs leading to the girls' dorms. He glanced up expecting to see Hermione but instead Ginny appeared looking tired and pale in her long white nightgown. Harry glanced away awkwardly, hoping that she would be too tired to talk.

"Harry? I thought I heard voices," Ginny said softly as she came further into the room. "You can't sleep?"

He shrugged half-heartedly. " 'spose not."

"Are you afraid that You-Know-Who will get into your mind?" Ginny asked, looking a little nervous.

Harry glanced up at her and slowly shook his head. "No. I've mastered Occlumency. Even if he did figure out it was me who tipped the Minister off, in which case he'll know I had used my scar to spy on him, I've blocked off my mind again so he can't get through."

Ginny's lips curled into a small smile. "That's a relief."

Uncertainly, Harry watched as she approached his side. "Er, it's kind of late," Harry said, trying to hint that he didn't feel like talking.

Ginny's eyes dimmed for a minute and then she rested a hand on Harry's arm. "Harry, I just want you to know that…well, I know you broke up with me at the end of our sixth year, after Dumbledore's funeral and all, to protect me. And I know we haven't really seen much of each other since the war really broke out and…," Ginny hesitated and glanced downward.

"I mean, this is the first time I've really had the chance to talk to you since things have calmed down so I just wanted to let you know, in case You-Know-Who comes back and we're separated again, that I still have feelings for you. I always think about you and…and even though we didn't really get to be a couple, I hope that once You-Know-Who is defeated for good maybe we could then have our chance to be together," she finished softly, her cheeks darkening slightly.

Harry felt his stomach flip uncomfortably. He certainly didn't want to hurt Ginny's feelings. It was true during his sixth year he felt a crush on her, stronger than the one he felt for Cho, so he had kissed her and she instantly had agreed to be his girlfriend. Now, however, he didn't have the same feelings. He wasn't sure if it was because he was so exhausted and afraid that the war wasn't over, or if he just really hadn't been in love with her like he had thought.

"Harry?" Ginny spoke up, turning her sad, questioning eyes upon him.

"Sorry, I'm tired," Harry said, rubbing his eyes.

"Did you, um, hear what I said?" she asked tentatively.

Uncomfortably, Harry nodded. "Er, yeah and I appreciate everything you've done. I know it has been hard for you and Ron, you know, since Percy has vanished, and—"

"Harry," Ginny interrupted, coming to stand in front of him. "That's not what I'm talking about. I mean about us. I know you were protecting me before and if You-Know-Who is really gone then we can be together!"

"Ginny," Harry shook his head, "Voldemort isn't dead. He's still out there, alive and most likely planning his revenge. Every time his plans fail he tries even harder the next time. And I'm certain he's beyond furious and a furious Dark Lord isn't exactly a cup of a tea."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Ginny nodded sadly. "I understand that, Harry, but…," she stared at him looking a little frustrated. "Don't you think that You-Know-Who already knows you well enough? I mean, he has been watching you for such a long time and he got into your mind back in fifth year. I'm sure he knows who all your friends are, Harry! Including me," she said as Harry licked his dry lips nervously. "That means that even though you distance yourself to protect all of us You-Know-Who still knows who you care about. So really, distancing yourself and forcing yourself to be alone like this is all for nothing! If You-Know-Who knows all us anyway, then why do we have to apart? Why do you have to do everything on your own?"

"I don't do everything on my own, Ginny," Harry said quietly. "You guys still help me."

"Yes, but you still distance yourself, Harry. Why can't we be together? If You-Know-Who already knows all of us then he may already know how we feel about each other," she said as Harry glanced away. "And if…if something happens to you, Harry—"

"It'll be better if we're not together, Ginny. If we were a couple then it'd be harder if something did happen, wouldn't it?" Harry questioned, shifting uncomfortably. "Ginny…I…"

Ginny stepped back one as he hesitated and she bit her lip. "Do you…do you not want to get back together?"

Harry stared up at her, his mouth partly open. He had never been in this sort of situation before but for the life of him he couldn't find anything to say. He tried to remember the advice Hermione gave him and the little experience he had had with Cho, but it was no use. Ginny's lip quivered as she stared at him.

"H-Harry?" she stammered. "Do you or do you not want to get together with me, even after the war is over?"

Swallowing the large lump that seemed to accumulate in his throat, Harry stared at her gently and slowly stood up.

"I…," he hesitated, seeing that Ginny was on the verge of tears. "I do, but I just…Voldemort could come back worse than ever."

Ginny's tears didn't fall and she seemed relieved after he said that. Smiling shakily, she nodded and then grasped his hands in hers. "Harry, I understand why you're afraid. I'm afraid too, but we shouldn't have to be apart. If we let You-Know-Who terrify us then that's giving him control. I'm sure that's what he wants. Look…I know you still want to protect me, so how about we spend time together in secret once in a while?"

"Ginny, er, it's too dangerous, even in Hogwarts. The more time I spend alone with you, the more memories of you I'll have in my mind. If Voldemort ever does get an opportunity into my mind he'll know for sure…and then you'll probably become a main target. Voldemort has never used Ron or Hermione to get to me in the past and he knows about them, but if he thinks you're different…," Harry trailed off, swallowing nervously.

Ginny just shook her head and then threw her arms around him. "Harry, you're so sweet! It'll be hard, but…but I know you just care about me, so…so we won't be a couple," she said, looking down sadly. "But once You-Know-Who is defeated then we can be together."

Harry smiled reluctantly and Ginny reached up and kissed his cheek. Then she waved goodnight and walked back up to her dorm. Harry slumped back into his chair and sighed heavily. It was so hard to understand what to do. His life was already complicated without his confusion about Ginny and thoughts of his future. He knew he had liked Ginny before and he knew that she had good qualities: she was pretty, smart and he knew her and her entire family very well. He also knew that there were still plenty of guys who were envious of him because he was with her, so why wasn't he excited about being with her?

Tiredly, Harry stood up and went up to his room. Ron was already snoring soundly as he passed. When he reached his bed, however, there was a letter lying on it. Curiously, Harry adjusted his glasses and opened it.

_To Harry James Potter,_

_The Minister of Magic requests a meeting in his office tomorrow morning at ten. It is of vital importance._

Crumpling the letter up, Harry glowered in the dark. He finally changed into his pajamas and set his glasses on the nightstand next to the bed. He certainly didn't feel like seeing the Minister, but it was an obligation no doubt. The Minister always used his position when necessary to get Harry to speak with him, or rather to listen to him try to persuade him to become his puppet. And it was the weekend too—just what he wanted to do first thing on a Saturday. Sighing irritably, Harry closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep.

As the rays of early morning sunlight came through his curtains, Harry reluctantly slid out of bed and got dressed. He flew to the Ministry and headed up to the Minister's office by way of the elevator. Several flying pieces of parchment were in the elevator with him, but Harry took no notice. He slumped toward the Minister's office and knocked briefly. The door opened by itself and Harry went inside.

Minister Scrimageour was sitting at his desk with a small glass of what appeared to be Firewhiskey, but Harry wasn't sure. He knew it was a very expensive alcohol in the wizard world. He only knew that because Lucius Malfoy would often boast about having an entire collection in his mansion.

"Harry, please sit," the Minister gestured to the cushioned chair in front of his desk.

Reluctantly, he obeyed and waited silently.

"As you might know, Potter, it is difficult to maintain peace," Scrimageour spoke as he stared at him. "There are many buildings to repair, quite a number of funerals and a lot of paperwork. Now I have spoken with the public, trying to calm them down and let them know that peace is on its way and to not fret about another war. The vampires and giants have made an agreement to remain neutral, but I won't feel better until it's magically binding. That's where you come in, Harry," he smiled as he stood up.

"I want you to become my right-hand assistant. That way with you also reassuring the public there won't be so much panic. And I'm sure the vampires and giants would be more likely to seal a magical contract knowing you're asking them."

"Why? They think you're the one who defeated Voldemort on your own," Harry said bitterly.

Minister Scrimageour shook his head, still smiling. "Harry, I was doing you a favor. I know that you don't like a lot of attention so I thought that not including your name would give you a bit of space."

Harry pursed his lips angrily and crossed his arms. "You purposefully denied that I even helped at all! If it wasn't for me Voldemort would've taken over!"

"And that is why I want you by my side," the Minister continued. "With you helping out around here, Harry it would give you the experience necessary for becoming an auror, which is what you said you wanted to be back in your fifth year, and it will keep the public from becoming chaotic. Now, I know you have studies to do so I won't interfere with that, but in your free time you can come and help out here. So, what do you say?"

Harry's eyes narrowed. "I can't."

"Harry," Scrimageour sat on the edge of his desk and stared at him, "think about how much you're helping the public."

"I can't because I don't agree with you," Harry said firmly. "I know Voldemort's going to try to come back."

"Most of his allies will be executed in the next few days and once we have a magical contract with the vampires and giants, the Dark Lord will have very few allies."

"Voldemort doesn't need them!" Harry exclaimed. "He can force whoever he needs to do his bidding! He's just biding his time until he can figure out how to attack when we're most vulnerable! He's not going to give up unless he's dead!"

Scrimageour sighed heavily. "Harry, you have to understand that in this world there is no perfection. We can not have complete peace, but we can come close enough. The Dark Lord wouldn't dare attack when we have the upper hand. Now, I'll give you until tomorrow evening to give me your answer. You're free to leave."

Harry opened his mouth then hastily got up and left the room. He was incredibly furious with the Minister, so much that he wasn't paying much attention. He slammed into something and fell backward.

"Er, sorry," Harry grumbled as he stood up.

"Well, it looks as though the famous Harry Potter lacks coordination," a voice drawled.

Harry's eyes slowly rose, taking in the tight black jeans and tight long-sleeved silver shirt up to the blond bangs flowing at the sides of a fair-skinned face. Two intense silver-blue eyes stared heatedly into his own.

"Malfoy! What the hell are you doing here?"

He pulled out his wand and Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Potter. I'm here on the Minister's orders."

Malfoy smirked and pushed his blond bangs back from his face. Harry glowered at him.

"Why the hell would the Minister let you wander around freely?"

Narrowing his eyes, Malfoy took a few steps closer. "That's none of your business Potter. But that's always been your problem. Always too nosey for your own good. From what my father said, your Godfather was too nosey as well and look where it got him."

"Shut the hell up!" Harry snapped, lunging out at him.

Malfoy gracefully dodged his punch, smirking widely. "You've still got a temper, Potter. You better watch it."

"Yeah, well I heard your two murdering parents are going to be executed!" Harry shot back harshly.

Malfoy's expression darkened as his sneer turned into fury. He lunged back at him and Harry dodged his attack, bringing his wand up to hex Malfoy but unexpectedly Malfoy twirled around and kicked his wand right out of his hand. Then Harry found a fist smack right into his cheek throwing him backward. His glasses fell off his face as he stumbled and hit the wall. Seconds later, he felt rough hands grab him and angrily throw him up against a different wall. Harry released a soft groan from pain and opened his eyes to see a blurry face in front of his. Malfoy had picked up his wand and had it pointed at him.

"My parents may be in Azkaban Potter," Malfoy snapped, pushing his arm against Harry's throat so he wouldn't move, "but at least I don't have a whole lot of enemies after my blood! You're going to end up like your Godfather one of these days!"

Without another word, Malfoy pushed him against the wall harshly and released him. When Harry finally found his glasses and his wand, Malfoy had already disappeared around the corner. Harry couldn't believe Malfoy was walking around freely, in the Ministry no less! Then he remembered what Hermione said about Malfoy being too young for Azkaban or execution, which meant he was most likely doing community service or something for the Ministry. He did not trust Malfoy at all.

Harry flew back to Hogwarts enraged about Malfoy not being locked up like his parents. To his distress, he found Ginny sitting in the common room. She got up as he entered and he felt his stomach flip uncomfortably once more.

"There you are Harry! When you weren't down at breakfast I became worried," Ginny said, approaching him.

"I'm fine. The Minister needed to see me," Harry said quickly.

Ginny's eyebrows furrowed. "Was it serious?"

"No," Harry lied. "Look I'm really tired and—"

"Harry, I hardly get to see you. And I know about what we talked about the other night, but…I want to spend time with you," Ginny said, staring up at him pleadingly.

Harry swallowed, feeling like he wanted to be swallowed whole. He was hoping someone would come into the common room to save him from this confrontation, but no one did.

"I was thinking, Harry. There's this dance coming up right before Christmas and I was hoping we'd get to go together. I think McGonagall arranged this to calm students down since many families still believe the war isn't over. But…would you want to come with me?"

Harry felt his whole body tense as he stared at her. He knew if he said no she'd break down into tears and Ron would eventually find out. He wouldn't know how to explain it to any of them. And he knew he'd just get into more trouble if he said he didn't have feelings for Ginny anymore. Ron and Ginny would be angry at him for a long time. He didn't want to have to do that unless absolutely necessary, but…what else could he do? Harry's eyes suddenly widened and he cleared his throat.

"Er, Ginny, there's something I have to tell you."

"What is it, Harry?" she asked gently.

Harry wrung his hands nervously and then approached her. "The Minister requested that I work at the Ministry between classes. He says he needs me to sustain peace and make some magical contracts. I won't be around much at all."

Ginny's eyes widened and she looked as though she might cry. "B-but…couldn't you decline?"

Harry felt his heart hammer in his chest but he shook his head. "No, the Minister practically demanded that I have to do this. And I don't want to get in trouble with the Ministry. I already have enough problems to deal with as it is."

Slowly, Ginny bit her lip and glanced down. Taking in a deep breath she raised her head and tried to smile.  
"I understand, Harry. I know…I know it's not your fault."

"Ginny, you don't have to wait for me," Harry blurted out. "You deserve much better. And I don't know if Voldemort is going to come back or if I'll even really be able to see you at school. I might not be eating in the Great Hall either, depending on how often the Minister needs me. And…I know it's hard, but it might be…er, safer for you to…to date someone else," Harry managed to get out.

Looking a bit hurt, Ginny stared at him while she wrapped her arms around herself. Finally, she ran to him and threw her arms around him.

"Oh Harry!" she sobbed. "You're such a good person. I know you're doing this for me. And…I don't want to have to leave you," she said, pulling away as tears dripped down her cheeks. "I've been in love with you for so long and I just…I thought we'd be together."

Harry swallowed thickly. "Ginny…you know I'll always care about you and your family. You've all been like a second family to me, but I don't know what's going to happen in the future. And it's…it's unfair to you to have to attach yourself to someone who's hardly around."

"I k-know, Harry…Ron's even said that too. He told me that while he understands you're a great guy and that he knows I like you so much, that I might be happier with someone else."

Harry opened his mouth in surprise, feeling a bit angered by that. "Ron said that?"

Ginny glanced up at him, wiping at her eyes and nodded. "Yeah…and I know it seems like the better choice. Even you are telling me to find someone else, but…I can't just forget about you Harry."

"You don't have to forget about me, Ginny. Er, I mean, we'll still be friends. And we'll still be able to see one another over holidays and sometimes in school. I just think it would be safer for both of us if we remained friends and…Ron's right," Harry said, "you'd probably be happier with a guy that you can see regularly."

"Yeah," Ginny said reluctantly, embracing him tightly.

Harry awkwardly patted her back, rubbing up and down a couple of times. Although he was angry that Ron was talking about him like he was a bad boyfriend, it turned out to be helpful so he didn't have to admit to Ginny that he didn't have feelings for her anymore. Some time passed before Ginny pulled away.

"I'll never forget you, Harry," Ginny said quietly, gently stroking his cheek with her hand.

Harry thought for a second she was going to kiss him, but she pulled away and headed for the portrait. Harry watched her, wondering if she was going to hate him forever. When she glanced over her shoulder, however, she gave him a small, shaky smile before she walked out of the common room. Harry sighed with relief and slumped down onto one of the couches.

For several minutes he just stared into space, contemplating what had just happened. He had told Ginny he would be gone and he knew working for the Minister would provide that, but Harry desperately hated the Minister. However…if he could somehow compromise with the Minister and tell him he'd help out some, but that he wouldn't become his assistant. That way instead of following the Minister around, Harry could possibly just help out with paperwork and such in the Ministry. That way, he'd be able to keep a close eye on Draco Malfoy.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

**Well, it appears it's going to be another multi-chapter! I don't expect it will be longer than ten chapters, especially if I keep the chapters nice and long. And I hope to finish it by the time I go back to school. Let me know what you think!**


	2. Accidental Exposure

**Pure Rhapsody**

_Author's Note: Okay, so school starts a lot earlier than expected. My school is so cruel! We didn't even have a full two weeks off for Christmas break! But anyway, my goal, even though school starts tomorrow, is to have a new chapter up every week. And I've planned this one out like the Captivation (and I have big plans for it!) so I should have it finished relatively soon. _

**Chapter 1: Accidental Exposure**

The next day Harry received a reply from the Minister agreeing to the compromise he proposed. Although Harry was reluctant to do paperwork for the Ministry on top of studying for NEWTS, he was also very determined to keep a close watch on Draco. Harry had let Ron and Hermione know that he wasn't going to be around much, at least during the year. And Ginny was also there to overhear the news again, which Harry purposefully did to make sure she understood he was really going through with it.

Thankfully it was Sunday so he didn't have to worry about classes. Immediately after breakfast, Harry flew to the Ministry. Several aurors greeted him as he passed. Harry wasn't sure which part of the Ministry Draco would be in or who he was doing community service for. There was only one way to find out. Hastily, Harry made his way to the Minister's office and knocked.

"Come in," a voice responded.

Harry entered and saw the Minister with yet another glass in his hand, this time it appeared he was drinking magical champagne—a very expensive kind, no doubt.

"Ah, Harry! I'm so glad you made it! You can't imagine how happy I was to hear that you want to help," Minister Scrimageour smiled. "Oh, would you like some Champagne? It's charmed to give you energy as well as soothe your nerves."

"Er, I'm underage."

The Minister smiled and nodded. "So you are. Now, while I understand you didn't want the position of my assistant, which I understand because of all the schoolwork you have, I still would like you to accompany me to visit with the giants and vampires."

Harry felt his stomach clench uncomfortably, but he remained silent. He didn't want the Minister to think he was going to do most of the work for him.

"And Harry, if you do this for me, I promise to give you a reward in return," Minister Scrimageour smiled, approaching him swiftly. "It'll be worth it, I guarantee it."

Reluctantly, Harry nodded. "Fine, but can I ask you a question?"

"Fire away," he smiled.

"Er, it's about Draco Malfoy. Is he…working here?"

Shaking his head with a laugh the Minister summoned a folder. "No, Mr. Malfoy is doing tasks for different members of the Ministry to make up for knowing about the terrible things the Dark Lord was planning, for his little charade at Hogwarts," the Minister read off from a piece of parchment, "for participating in the Death Eater ranks and attempting murder."

"So…is he charged with anything?" Harry asked, sitting up.

"Besides what I listed, no. He hasn't actually harmed anyone to our knowledge and he doesn't even have the Dark Mark. Those are mitigating circumstances that were acknowledged in his trial, much like yours."

"I was protecting my cousin from a Dementor, that's hardly the same," Harry blurted out.

The Minister stared at him firmly but nodded. "I understand that, Harry, but you had mitigating circumstances as well, which is why you got off. Mr. Malfoy, though he did conspire with the Death Eaters and attempted to murder, he hasn't committed any crime. His aiding in the Dark Lord's plot is what he is doing community service for. Don't worry, Mr. Potter, he is harmless, especially away from the influence of his parents," Scrimageour said, closing the folder. "He has been obeying without complaint and has been keeping on top of his assignments."

"Where does he stay?" Harry asked.

Sighing, the Minister leaned back. "If the boy worries you so much, Harry, I can reassure you that he is no longer in league with the former Death Eaters. And he is currently lodged in an inn at Hogsmeade but he can only stay there temporarily so we'll have to find him another place soon. He is being watched by aurors day in and day out and he is required to check in with me as well. We are handling everything. Now, are you coming with me?"

Glancing downward Harry thought for a minute. He really wanted to go look for Draco to see if he was actually doing his assignments, but he supposed it wouldn't hurt to do one favor for the Minister, at least to get him off his back. That way he wouldn't have to worry about the Minister or anyone else sending for him while he was keeping an eye on Draco.

"Alright," Harry agreed finally.

"Wonderful! Let's go," the Minister smiled, gesturing to the fireplace.

Inwardly groaning, Harry followed him through the fireplace with floo powder until they came out of a worn-down looking building. It was dark and dismal in the area and Harry saw that they were heading toward a small forest.

"I've managed to convince the giants to sign a magical contract, but the vampires are harder to convince," Scrimageour explained as they passed tall, looming trees.

As they entered even further into the forest, Harry felt his spine tingle. He glanced over his shoulder although there was nothing but a bunch of trees and bushes. They headed for the center of the forest to a large cave dwelling. There they entered and used their wands for light as they headed underground through a dark tunnel. Harry was feeling more anxious by the minute. They finally reached the end and Harry shivered, whirling his head immediately to the left. Eyes were illuminated in the dark and Harry automatically tensed. The figure sunk back into the shadows and Harry followed closely behind the Minister.

"Here we are," Scrimageour said as they headed through an archway.

A calm pond lay before them surrounded by beautiful trees with what appeared to be golden-colored leaves. Unopened flowers also sat idly around the entire bank of the pond.

"What is this place?" Harry asked quietly.

"A sanctuary," a voice hissed.

Harry wheeled around to see a tall, dark man grinning with fangs. His eyes were a dark yellow and his skin deathly pale. His hair was a light brown, hanging to his shoulders and his clothes were old-fashioned.

"Ah, Kald, there you are," the Minister smiled widely. "I have brought Harry Potter with me to reassure you of this safe agreement."

The vampire bared his teeth, which gleamed in the dim light, as he approached. "Harry Potter…yes, that name is familiar. The one whom the Dark One fears."

Harry swallowed, watching the vampire carefully.

"Yes. Now, I brought the binding contract," Scrimageour said, revealing a piece of parchment. "Shall we sit and talk?"

The vampire stared at both of them and then walked toward a coffin which he sat down upon. Harry summoned a chair as well as the Minister and he nervously glanced around. He knew other vampires were present.

"Since you are the leader of the vampire clan, you can take your time reading it," Scrimageour smiled again, handing it to him.

Kald's eyes bore into Harry's and he looked uncomfortably away. There he caught sight of several vampires watching them from the shadows. Kald looked over the contract for some time and Harry was becoming increasingly nervous. Finally, Kald set it down and stared at both of them.

"So, this will make it so neither of our kinds can betray one another then?"

"Yes. Essentially, it just assures us that you will remain neutral. Not that we ever expect another Dark Age, but it will make the people feel safer."

Kald took in a deep breath and then gazed intensely at Harry. "And what do you think about this Harry Potter?" his voice came out in a raspy whisper.

Harry stared at him, glancing briefly at the Minister. He licked his lips, feeling the heat of eyes on him. "I think it's a good idea. Voldemort is still alive and therefore he may try and convince as many as possible to aid him in order to get back to power. If you remain neutral you can stay out of the war and that way Voldemort can't force your clan to aid him. Nor can we."

The vampire's lips curled upward to reveal his fangs. "Well said…I suppose it can't hurt. However, it needs to be established that any breech of the contract from either side will result in the breaking of this magical bind."

The Minister nodded hesitantly. "Of course."

He pulled out his wand and waved it over the contract. Words appeared and Harry squinted to read it: _'If any individual, vampire or wizard, at all disobeys this contract it will magically disintegrate.' _Kald nodded and then took the quill offered to him to sign his name. Once he was done he handed it back to the Minister and his eyes one again darted onto Harry.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Harry Potter," he grinned widely, holding out a pale hand.

Glancing at it, Harry slowly reached out his hand and touched the cold clammy skin. As the vampire shook his hand, Harry felt a sharp pain in his forehead. He pulled his hand away and the vampire stared at him for a moment longer before he stood up.

"We are done then. You can be on your way."

"Very good," Scrimageour smiled. "Come along Harry. Good day then!"

Kald only smiled slightly at them as they walked away. Harry glanced over his shoulder to see the vampire staring at him again and his pace quickened. Once they were safely back at the Ministry, Harry felt his muscles loosen.

"Very well done, Harry," Scrimageour smiled, placing the signed parchment on his desk. "Now it is magically binding, unless one breaks the contract, but there are consequences for that, magical ones that is. Now, for your reward," he smiled.

Harry blinked as the Minister approached him and leaned down toward him. "_Drake_," he said quietly. It sounded as though it was in a different language.

"What?" Harry questioned.

"Drake. It's the password to the private Ministry lavatory. In Norwegian it means dragon. I thought of it actually. Wonderful password, don't you think? Anyway, you won't be disappointed. Use it whenever you like," the Minister gave him a smile then a nod.

Feeling a bit awkward, Harry nodded and forced a small, lopsided smile. "Er, thanks."

"Of course, Harry. If you want you can take the rest of the day off. I'll see you around!"

Harry nodded and then walked out of the office. Though he had the option of going back to Hogwarts, he had every intention of remaining there to see what Malfoy was up to. However, finding him in such a large building would be challenging. Harry began with the level he was on, walking down every hallway and peering into every room that wasn't an office. He eventually came across a map of the building and groaned when he realized that there were ten levels of the Ministry, not including secret passages that led to Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley and a couple other areas.

Feeling rather frustrated, Harry was about to head to the next level when he spotted an auror walking down the hallway. He approached him and the auror smiled in greeting.

"Harry Potter! It's a pleasure!" he shook his hand.

"Hi," Harry smiled awkwardly. "Erm, I was just with the Minister and he asked me to find Draco Malfoy. Would you happen to know where he is?"

The auror looked puzzled for a moment. "Yes, I believe I passed through the Ministry library and spotted him there."

"Thank you," Harry smiled sincerely.

"Anytime," the auror said, shaking his hand once more.

Harry watched him disappear around the corner and went back to the map. The Ministry library was on the map, but strangely it didn't show up on any of the levels. It appeared to be…in between levels five and six. Curiously, Harry walked toward the lift and went up to level five searching for signs or directions to the library. Interestingly enough, there were none. Stopping by an office, Harry knocked on the door of a Cealla Marbury, who was the new member in charge of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Harry remembered that Barty Crouch Senior had been the head of the department years prior.

The door opened and a young woman, possibly Indonesian but Harry wasn't certain, appeared. She had a similar appearance to Cho Chang, but her skin was a shade darker and her hair was a light brunette and was held up in a bun.

"Can I help you?" she asked with a slight accent.

Harry felt a little intimidated by her. "Er, yeah. I was looking for the Ministry library."

Her dark brown eyes stared intensely into his. "Do you have permission?"

Feeling his stomach clench, Harry blinked. "Er, well I was told to find Draco Malfoy and I heard he was in the library."

"And who told you?" she asked.

"The Minister," Harry said as calmly as he could manage. "I'm supposed to help him with an assignment."

The woman stared at him and then nodded briefly. She slipped back into her office and came out with a slip of parchment.

"Here is the password. The directions are on the slip of paper. The parchment will magically disintegrate once you've reached the library. Good day," she said, staring at him for a second before she turned and walked casually back into her office.

The door closed and Harry blinked a couple of times. Then he glanced down at the parchment and read it:

_You must go down to the end of this hall where there will be a statue of Merlin with a staff. You must pull his left pinky finger and the sphere atop his staff will lift up. Then you have to rotate the sphere three times counterclockwise. When Merlin's eyes glow, whisper the password in either of his ears and a secret passage to the library will be revealed. **Password:** Heliopath. _

Harry's eyes narrowed as he walked down the hall. The library was obviously off-limits to most people, except a select few. It was hidden extremely well, which made Harry a little nervous. Even if Malfoy had gotten permission into the library, which Harry assumed he did since figuring out how to get inside was nearly impossible, it still meant it was protected for a reason. And Malfoy rummaging through a secret library did not make him feel comfortable.

When he got to the statue he did as the message said. After the eyes glowed, Harry whispered the password in the right ear and Merlin's whole body shifted to reveal a dark passageway. The moment Harry stepped into the tunnel, Merlin moved back into its original place. The tunnel was already lit with magical torches floating on either side of him all the way down. He came to a small set of stairs and continued downward into an open area. Harry stepped onto a marble floor and was amazed at the size of the room. The ceiling was so far above him that Harry wondered how the outside of the Ministry building didn't look taller. He suspected that the magic to the hide the library had something to do with it.

Immediately, Harry cloaked himself with an invisibility charm and walked forward as quietly as possible. He was grateful that his shoes hardly made a sound against the smooth floor. There was a gold-inlayed symbol in the center that resembled some sort of creature with wings. It appeared similar to a dragon, but it was so intricately outlined that he couldn't tell what it was. As Harry walked farther inside he came across hundreds of shelves full of books and documents, all alphabetized by year, subject matter and more. There were so many shelves—some that even reached the tall ceiling. Harry wondered if perhaps the Ministry library kept every historical document and book ever written.

The sound of footsteps caused Harry to stop still. Although he was invisible, he had to be careful. The charm would only last so long and he didn't want Malfoy to hear him either. Hoping that Malfoy was still in the library, Harry crept in the direction of the sound. He heard some rummaging and then something dropped on the floor. It startled him momentarily and he heard someone curse softly. Now he was certain it was Malfoy. Peering around the corner of one of the shelves he saw the blond standing up, holding a book open in his arms and flipping through the pages rapidly.

Harry studied him carefully. Malfoy tossed his head back to force his long bangs to move away from his face. His eyebrows were furrowed and his lips were pursed in concentration. Slamming the book shut, Malfoy cursed again. It appeared he was searching for something. Harry took a few steps forward, hoping to catch a glimpse of the books he was pulling out. The hand that was gripping the side of one of the tall shelves accidentally slipped and Harry stumbled, managing to remain standing. However, he had grasped onto one of the books in the shelves to steady himself. It came loose and before Harry could blink it fell to the floor.

Malfoy jumped startled, dropping the book that was currently in his hand. He wheeled around toward the noise and Harry backed away against the wall. If he could slip past Malfoy he could get around and hide in one of the other hundreds of isles surrounded by bookshelves. He was unfortunately up against the wall and while he could run forward past the fallen book to slip away, Malfoy would no doubt hear him as he was already in front of the book. Glancing around, Malfoy's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Slowly, he bent down and picked up the book with his back facing Harry. He pushed the book back into place and slowly moved forward. The blond turned both ways and took a few steps sideways, which brought him closer to where Harry was pressed against the wall.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Harry felt his stomach lurch from anxiety. Malfoy was getting much too close for comfort. The blond backed toward him, moving his eyes around as if searching for an intruder. As he came closer, Harry held his breath. Draco turned toward him so he was facing him and took a step forward. They were now less than a foot apart and Harry was desperately trying not to breathe. Malfoy glanced around and then swiveled around in the opposite direction, to Harry's relief. Turning abruptly caused a gust of air that brushed over him and Harry caught a whiff of an odor. It smelled like some sort of cologne and made his nose tingle, though it wasn't an unpleasant fragrance.

Malfoy looked around the area for a few more minutes before he finally gave up. Searching around briefly, the blond headed toward the exit and disappeared. Harry was breathing slowly, feeling a little dazed from holding his breath while Malfoy was close. Apparently, Malfoy had been searching for something but whether it was for a Ministry member or himself Harry had to find out. He didn't trust the blond at all even if he didn't have the Dark Mark. He had done Voldemort's bidding before, as had both his parents, so it was very possible he was up to no good. Harry briefly wondered how Malfoy would be if his parents did get executed. Perhaps the reason Malfoy was snooping around was to find a way to set his parents free, or even all the death eaters, before they are killed.

Feeling safe, Harry left the library and was once again visible. He decided he'd have to spy on Malfoy again at some point and maybe follow him to figure out if he really was planning something bad. For the time being, however, Harry decided to go back to Hogwarts and talk to his friends. He found Ron and Hermione having an argument in the Great Hall, being since it was dinner time. He ate with them, smiling gently at Ginny who glanced at him and returned the gesture. Afterward, they all went to the common room and sat down.

"What is it you wanted to talk about Harry?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Yeah how's 'ol Scrimageour doing?" Ron snorted.

The tone was obviously distaste and Harry knew it was because Mr. Weasley had wanted to try out being Minister, but Scrimageour postponed the next elections for another year, even though his term was to be up by the end of their seventh year. Whether or not Scrimageour had heard that Arthur Weasley was going to try for the position, however, was not known.

"He's annoying," Harry said, earning a smile from Ron. "But actually I'm more worried about Malfoy."

"What? Did you see him in a cell or something?" Ron sat up quickly, suddenly intrigued.

Hermione sent him a disapproving glare, but Harry shook his head. "No, Ron, he's not in a cell or in an orphanage even. He's out wandering around the Ministry supposedly doing community service for them so he can make up for what he has done."

"WHAT?" Ron roared loudly.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, covering her ears. "Do you want to wake the whole school?"

"How the bloody hell can they be so stupid!" Ron shouted, ignoring her protests. "He tried to kill Dumbledore and his whole family worships You-Know-Who and yet they don't even keep him someplace where he's guarded by aurors!"

"I know," Harry said darkly. "And I think he might be up to no good."

Sighing loudly, Hermione scoffed at them. "You both would purposefully look for any reason to blame Malfoy. That doesn't mean he's up to his old tricks."

"Oh come off it! Once a Slytherin always a Slytherin!" Ron snapped heatedly.

Hermione pursed her lips and crossed her arms indignantly. "Is there any proof or is it just because he's not imprisoned?"

"He was snooping around the Ministry library," Harry said. "And the library is not supposed to be accessed easily. It has a password and is protected by a secret passage as well!"

"Well, perhaps he went in there on a request from a Ministry member," Hermione suggested.

Ron stared at her as though she just admitted she was in love with Malfoy. "Are you bonkers, Hermione? He let loose Death Eaters in Hogwarts and yet you think he's doing an innocent favor in a secretly protected library?"

"I have to agree with Ron," Harry said. "He looked like he was nervous about getting caught in there."

"What else is new," Hermione said quietly. "Look, Harry. Just bring it up to the Minister. Make sure that he was allowed access in there and—"

"He might have been allowed," Harry interrupted. "I mean, there's no other way he could figure out how to get in there, but even if he was in there to do a favor he might have been doing something else as well."

"Like what? What could he possibly do in a library? Set loose a bunch of dust mites on the Ministry?" Hermione retorted angrily.

Harry shrugged, feeling a bit frustrated. "I don't know. It seemed like he was searching for something. I mean, the library was enormous! There's enough information there to know everything, I bet! He could be trying to figure out a way to break his parents free or something."

Ron nodded in agreement. "Yeah, or the whole lot of the Death Eaters who would no doubt go running back to You-Know-Who. And the next time we may not be so lucky."

"Isn't it better to be safe than sorry?" Harry countered, gazing at Hermione who still looked aggravated.

"Of course, Harry. But there is a difference between being safe and taking things into your own hands and making things worse, which normally ends up happening," Hermione stated defiantly, flipping her hair from her face. "Look, Harry, my advice to you is to just let the Minister know that you don't trust him and that he was snooping in the library. And leave it up to him and the aurors to make sure that he doesn't have access to anything that he can use against them or for his parents. Don't take it into your own hands like you normally do. You know how disastrous that can end up. I'm going to go study in the library and I hope you'll take my advice," she said, giving them both a dissatisfied glance before she left the common room.

Ron snorted. "She's always so uptight. Anyway, I completely agree with you, Harry. I think you should spy on Malfoy to make sure he doesn't get his hands on anything."

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Hermione does have a point though. I'll definitely tell the Minister, but considering the fact that they'd let Malfoy go into the secret library by himself tells me the Minister thinks him harmless."

"Yeah, well he's not the brightest guy in the world," Ron retorted bitterly. "You can tell him but I doubt it'd do much good. He'll probably tell you you're being paranoid and push you out the door."

"You're probably right, but I've got to do everything I can. I'm not going through another war," Harry said darkly, narrowing his eyes. "And I'm especially not going to let Malfoy of all people ruin my life. I know that Voldemort has most likely figured out I tipped the Minister off so he'll be coming directly for me. And he's not going to care about giving me a fighting chance this time around."

Gulping, Ron jerked his head in a stiff nod of agreement. "Yeah, but Malfoy's parents are going to be executed in five days. There's no way he can figure out how to break them free by then just by reading some books, can he?"

Harry could clearly hear the fear in Ron's voice and he shrugged. "I'm not sure. I would think that the Minister wouldn't let anyone into the library, Malfoy or me even, if there was something really dangerous in there, but it certainly wouldn't be the first time that Scrimageour has made a fatal miscalculation. He nearly got the entire Order killed just a few months ago before I had that vision."

Sighing, Ron nodded. "Yeah. Just watch Malfoy closely. My advice to you is to somehow catch him in the act of doing something he's not supposed to so that the Minister has no choice but to confine him. Even if it's not Azkaban, at least if he's someplace where he's guarded and can't escape to go save his parents or run back to You-Know-Who it'll be better."

"You're right," Harry said.

Smiling smugly, Ron leaned back in his seat. Harry stood up and stretched his aching limbs.

"I think I should probably get some homework done, especially if I'm going to be spending a lot of my free time spying on Malfoy."

Making a face, Ron stood up as well. "Yeah, I 'spose I should too. I have a report due tomorrow anyway. Let's go to the library. Maybe Hermione will have cooled down enough to agree to help us."

Harry nodded, summoning his books before he followed Ron out the common room. It turned out that Hermione was in a better mood, but she was determined to force them to do their homework entirely on their own. She told them it was good practice for the NEWTS.

It took him several hours to finish the parchment of homework he had. Because of the war, he had fallen behind in schoolwork and seventh year studies were the most difficult yet. Even without having to take Potions, it was still incredibly challenging. By the time he and Ron trudged back to the common room, they were too exhausted to speak. They mumbled goodnight, got undressed and fell asleep almost immediately.

The next day Harry went to all his morning classes, still feeling exhausted. He managed to stay awake through the lectures and took notes. His mind often times drifted to Malfoy and he became anxious to get to the Ministry. Once lunchtime came, Harry made his way to the Ministry on break and searched around for Malfoy until he was called to the Minister's office. Upon entering, he saw the Minister smiling cheerfully from his desk.

"Ah Harry, here are some papers I'd like you to file for me," he said, gesturing to the large stack beside him.

"Er, sure, but I was wondering if Malfoy was allowed to go into the secret library the other day," Harry blurted out.

The Minister stared at him a bit surprised. "Ah, so you went into the library then?"

"Yes. I know that you didn't give me permission, but I heard Malfoy was in there and I thought maybe he was doing something he shouldn't, like trying to find a way to free his parents."

The Minister let out a loud laugh and stood up. "Harry, my boy, there is nothing but old documents in that library. It is protected because the documents are our history and we learn from the past, but other than that there's nothing in there he could use to cause such mischief. I told you that I have everything under control. All I need you to do are these papers for me," he smiled.

Reluctantly, Harry nodded as the Minister disappeared with a pop. Sighing, he walked over to the desk and picked up the large stack. He certainly wasn't going to be able to get it all done by the end of lunchtime, but he would come back after dinner. Although the documents had him going up and down the lift to all the different floors, he didn't run into Malfoy. A part of him wanted to search the library again but he didn't get the chance. He had to go back to Hogwarts for the rest of his classes. By the time dinner came, he rushed into the Great Hall to take some food with him and dashed off to the Ministry once more.

Most of the members were gone, but some remained to look after the place. Harry also found out that Thestrals guarded the outside of the building during the night to make sure no one unexpectedly dropped in. And all the fireplaces were sealed off by ten at night. Harry was already inside so even if he stayed past ten he could still get out, but no one could get in until the Ministry members undid the protections. All in all, it was very safe, Harry had to admit. Still, there was an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't ignore.

After searching around the nearly-deserted building, Harry decided to try the library once more. It was already approaching nine-thirty when he went through the secret passage to the library but there was no sign of anyone. After searching a couple more floors, Harry gave up. He was about to head back to Hogwarts when he remembered the password the Minister gave him for the bathroom. Becoming curious, Harry found a map of the building and searched for the bathroom. He found that it was all the way up on the top floor, so he took the lift up to the tenth level.

Making his way down a couple hallways, he found that it ended and there was only one door at the end. It was a massive Cherry Oak door that glimmered in the dim light of the floating candles nearby. Harry noticed it didn't have a door-handle. Stepping up to it, he cleared his throat.

"Drake," he said.

The door jerked and then smoothly slid open, allowing Harry to step inside. As it closed behind him, Harry realized why the Minister had told him it was worth it. There was a huge Jacuzzi-type tub in the center of the large, fancy bathroom with glistening sapphire-blue water. The whole tub was made out of some sort of polished stone and was a brilliant white. The floor was covered in a soft, tan carpet and when Harry took off his shoes and socks he felt just how soft it was. There was a toilet a short distance away from the tub that had intricate designs on it. And the room in its entirety was at least twenty feet tall. A beautiful sink was next to the toilet and a bureau was next to that. Upon opening it, Harry found all sorts of plush towels. He smiled and began to undress. Once he was completely naked, he went to the bathroom quickly and washed his hands.

"You have beautiful eyes."

Harry jumped, startled when the mirror spoke to him. "Er, thanks."

Once he was done, he walked over to the enormous tub and peered into it. He couldn't see clearly through the liquid so he wasn't sure how deep it was. He hung his towel on the side of the large tub, noticing up close that it was the size of a small swimming pool. There were at least ten faucets around the tub. Turning one of them he found that bubbles began to come up out of the water. Another faucet activated charmed sponges and soap that floated over to him and began washing his body without help. Harry soon slipped into the warm water and sighed contently. Ducking under the water he floated down a little and noticed it was quite deep. At least ten feet, he guessed.

Coming back to the surface, Harry swam around the length of the tub. It was incredibly relaxing. Turning a faucet on the other side of the tub, he found that it summoned food and drinks. Smiling, Harry decided to try a chocolate-covered strawberry and then summoned a glass of pumpkin cider. Then he continued swimming around, enjoying the large bathroom and the brilliant moon shining down from the window up on top of the ceiling.

He was so entranced he didn't notice anything unusual until he saw something in the opposite corner. Wading over, he noticed that a towel was lying on the floor right by a rack where some clothes had been stuffed into. His eyebrows furrowed in wonder and suddenly he heard something. Turning around in the water, Harry saw bubbles issuing from under water. Hurriedly, Harry swam over to where he left his wand by his towel and waited, holding his breath. The bubbles became larger and suddenly something burst through the surface. Harry immediately fired a hex, which missed the figure and instead collided with the water, creating a wave that sent the figure flying into the side of the tub.

Harry waded backward, breathing heavily until the wave calmed down. Once it did, he could clearly see what had burst through the water. To his terror, and embarrassment, Malfoy was there in front of him, grasping onto the side of tub and coughing.

"MALFOY!" Harry shouted loudly, his voice echoing against the walls.

The blond wheeled around, his hair plastered to the sides of his face. Malfoy's eyes widened in astonishment and then narrowed.

"I should've known you'd show up to ruin my peace and quiet!" Malfoy drawled coldly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Harry shouted angrily, feeling his heart race.

The last thing he wanted was for Malfoy to see him in the nude. Clearly, the blond also knew the password.

"Obviously trying to enjoy a little alone time, which never seems to happen when you're around!" Malfoy snapped. "Get the hell out of here, Potter! I was here first!"

Harry opened his mouth and then glared angrily. "NO! The Minister gave me the password! He told me I could use it anytime! So how the hell did you get in here? Let me guess, you went snooping around the Ministry waiting to overhear one of the members blurt out the password," Harry snapped.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed darkly. "Please Potter, I'm not as desperately pathetic as you are," he drawled nastily. "I happen to have been given the password as well. And since I was here first, you can show yourself out. And maybe next time remember to knock."

"First off, Malfoy, you wouldn't have heard me from underwater even if I _had_ knocked and second of all you may have gotten here first, but I'm more welcome here," Harry spat as Malfoy's lips curled into a malicious expression. "So _you_ get lost!"

The blond stared at him with an intense gaze, tapping a finger on the smooth tub. "Are you challenging me, Potter?"

Harry clenched his fist tightly around his wand in anger and then suddenly his lips curled into a smirk. "Well, Malfoy, perhaps you've forgotten but you don't have a wand and I do."

The blond's lips formed a dark frown and Harry lifted his wand for good measure.

"So I don't think it's a good idea to challenge me, or piss me off," Harry glared, keeping his wand posed in Malfoy's direction.

Malfoy sneered maliciously. "You think you're something, don't you Potter? You think that the world bows down to you and that you can go anywhere you please and do whatever you want."

"No, Malfoy, I'm not a spoiled brat who grew up getting everything he wanted. That'd be you," Harry retorted hotly. "And if you don't get out of here in one minute I'm going to paralyze you with a hex, levitate your body up to the ceiling and leave you there until someone stumbles upon you."

Malfoy's eyes flashed with fury and he clenched his jaw and fists in response. Harry could see the anger boiling beneath the surface and felt confident that he finally had Malfoy cornered. Unexpectedly, Malfoy's lips curled into a sneer.

"Well, Potter, you may have your wand," Malfoy said, leaning over the side of the tub to reach something.

Harry held his wand steady just in case. His eyes unconsciously drifted down Malfoy's back where his lower back was visible and his tale-bone just barely submerged in the water.

"But at least I'm not blind," Malfoy drawled silkily.

Harry's eyes rose up to see a shoe coming at him. He just barely raised his arm, but he wasn't fast enough. The shoe hit the side of his face, knocking his glasses off, which fell onto the side of tub. Harry heard them fall and reached for them, but he suddenly felt something hard hit the other side of his face. Harry accidentally was submerged underwater and he opened his eyes. It was incredibly blurry and all he could make out was something close to him. Suddenly, he felt his arm being hit, causing his wand to fall out of his hand and sink to the bottom of the tub. Harry could only make out a blur in front of him and knew Malfoy was attacking him.

Rapidly, Harry struggled to bring himself to the surface and found a foot kicking him roughly in the chest. Harry almost opened his mouth and inhaled water, but luckily he broke the surface before he did. Gasping for breath, Harry made a quick move to reach his glasses but a fist pounded into his back, causing his arm to lash out and knock his glasses to the floor. He heard the sound of glass cracking and he inwardly winced. Harry wheeled around to try and fight back, despite having lost his vision. He punched, satisfied when he heard his fist collide with Malfoy's jaw.

Unfortunately, he didn't see Malfoy's fist coming at him until he knocked in the side of the head. He was suddenly feeling very dizzy and his hesitation allowed Malfoy to roughly push his head underwater. Harry struggled beneath Malfoy's grip, pushing his hands out to fight him off. His hands pushed against Malfoy's bare chest and he kicked and squirmed as hard as he could to get free. Any longer underwater and he would drown. He couldn't lift his head up, so Harry did the only thing he could think of in a moment of panic. He lurched forward underwater and sunk his teeth into Malfoy's abdomen. The blond shouted in pain and released his grip long enough to allow Harry to reach the surface.

Coughing and sputtering, Harry reached for the side of the tub and grasped it tightly. He then reached an arm down and grasped his glasses, quickly shoving them onto his face. Although one of the lenses was completely cracked, Harry could see well enough to know where Malfoy was. The blond lunged at him but Harry blocked the attack and punched him hard in the gut. Malfoy groaned in pain and clutched at his stomach and Harry wasted no time in punching him again in the face. He saw Malfoy's lip begin to bleed as he fell backward into the water.

Harry watched as Malfoy sunk beneath the surface. And Harry adjusted himself so he had a firm grip on the tub in case Malfoy came at him again. He waited a long moment but Malfoy didn't resurface. Suddenly, Harry's heart began to pound. If Malfoy had been knocked unconscious, he would drown. And if Malfoy died, Harry could be charged with negligent homicide of a wizard and probably would be sentenced to Azkaban. Harry was afraid he had gone too far in a fight with Malfoy and made a move to dive underwater only he was stunned when Malfoy suddenly broke the surface pointing his own wand at him.

Before Harry could open his mouth, Malfoy shot something at him that blew him right out of the tub, causing him to land on his back on the rug, but his glasses luckily only slid partly off his face. Groaning in pain, Harry lifted his body up to a sitting position and fixed his glasses. He heard the sound of water splashing and wheeled his head to see Malfoy approaching him with his wand, having wrapped a towel around his waist. Harry crouched low, putting his arms in the necessary places so Malfoy wouldn't see anything.

"Now who's in charge, Potter?" Malfoy boasted, smirking widely. "You know, maybe I should steal your idea and pin you to the ceiling naked. I can see the Daily Prophet already with a nice blown-up picture of the naked Boy-Who-Lived for the world to see."

"If you…even think about it, you're going to be in trouble with the Minister, especially for nearly drowning me!" Harry snapped, trying to sound confident though he was at a disadvantage.

Malfoy snorted. "You think I'm afraid of that threat, Potter?"

His lips curled into an even wider sneer and suddenly Harry found his body being thrown backward against the wall, unfortunately uncovering anything he wanted to hide. Harry groaned and winced as he back hit the wall. He was already sore enough. He tried to free his body from the wall, but he was pinned there. Malfoy sneered in amusement and stepped closer, keeping Harry's wand pointed at him.

"Don't ever challenge me again, Potter," Malfoy smirked, running his eyes up and down his body. "Unless you want to end up utterly humiliated."

With a wave of the wand, Harry was flung down onto the floor. He glared up at Malfoy as best as he could and watched as the blond flung his wand back into the tub. Sneering widely, Malfoy picked up his clothes from the rack and walked out without another glance. Feeling his cheeks burn with both embarrassment and hatred, Harry slowly got up to retrieve his wand. Malfoy would pay dearly for that. Harry would make sure he discovered what the blond was up to. And once he did he would let the Minister know so he could be locked up like his parents. Then Harry would be the one laughing in his face. Yes, no matter what he was going to figure out what Malfoy was hiding.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

To Reviewers:

**Maegwin**: Oh thank you! Yes, I hope this one turns out as good as Captivation. We'll see!

**Iluvmyterrier: **Thank you very much! I'm glad to hear you like my writing style! Yes, hopefully this one will turn out as good as Captivation. Unfortunately, I'm not doing a sequel to Captivation. At one point during Captivation someone asked me about a sequel and I was thinking about it, but by the second to last, or last chapter, of Captivation I put in an author's note that a sequel would just ruin the story. So unfortunately there's no sequel to that, but hopefully this story will turn out just as good!

**Snowfalcon: **Aww, thanks! I'm so glad you liked Captivation! I'm hoping this one turns out just as good! It's obviously not going to have the romance as quickly as Captivation did but it'll come soon! Oh yes! I hate leaving people hanging! I know that some stories of mine I haven't updated in forever, but like with Captivation which I finished in two months, I tried planning the whole story out again so I hope to finish this within a couple months, or even less if I can. I hope to update every single week, at least one chapter, depending on the homework amount I have. And I'm really glad you like how Harry is. Sometimes I play around with Draco, but most of the time, in all my stories, Harry remains the same. I just can't picture him any other way. Oh, don't worry! Ginny won't be a bitch in this one! Lol! I'm playing with a different side of her character in this one. I know she's not as bitchy as I portrayed her in Captivation, but it made for some good drama. Thanks again!


	3. A Dark Aura

**Pure Rhapsody**

**Chapter 2: A Dark Aura**

Over the next few days Harry didn't have a run-in with Malfoy. He had been constantly searching around the Ministry and using any excuse possible to snoop around in order to spy on the blond. Since the incident in the Ministry lavatory, Harry had been unable to sleep because of a boiling rage deep inside his gut. Malfoy had taken advantage of him; he had blinded him and had stolen his wand to use against him and ended up humiliating him by pinning him to the wall naked where nothing was covered. The last thing Harry ever thought would happen in his life was Malfoy seeing him in the nude. Not only did it piss him off that Malfoy had done it so cruelly, but now that Malfoy _had_ seen him naked there was a chance he would go to the Daily Prophet, if only to humiliate him even more. Thankfully, it wasn't as though Malfoy had physical proof of what Harry looked like naked, but it still irked him.

And now he was determined to find anything, big or small, against him just so the Minister would have no choice but to confine him somewhere. As long as Malfoy ended up not able to walk around freely, Harry would be satisfied. A part of him also hoped his wand had been destroyed. Then the only way Malfoy could get a wand was to buy a whole new one, but he'd have to have the Minister's permission to do so. Then again, Scrimageour was idiotic enough to allow Malfoy to walk around freely and earn a clean slate so it seemed counting on the Minister was out of the question.

He was finished with classes for the day so he decided to check the Ministry library once again, just in case Malfoy was avoiding him or hiding out. Unfortunately, Harry didn't get very far before an auror stopped him in the hallway.

"Excuse me, Mr. Potter, but the Minister requests to see you in his office."

Harry nodded and inwardly cursed the Minister's timing. He knocked on the office door and it immediately opened.

"Ah, Harry, come in!" he heard the Minister exclaim almost too cheerfully.

Harry stepped inside and instantly his eyes darted to the seat in front of the Minister's desk that was currently occupied. Malfoy carelessly glanced at him briefly, giving him a slight sneer before he turned away and seemingly ignored his presence. Harry bit his lip, trying not to show his discomfort. He hoped that Malfoy hadn't lied to the Minister about what happened in the lavatory, such as claiming Harry had tried to drown him. Of course, Veritaserum would erase any doubts that it was his fault.

"Er…yeah?" Harry asked rather lamely, not knowing what else to say.

His eyes briefly darted over to Malfoy, watching him closely as the Minister smiled at him. Another chair appeared, too close to Malfoy for Harry's comfort, but he reluctantly sat down. The Minister then folded his hands behind his back, glancing from Harry to Malfoy and back again.

"I have called you both here on an important assignment," Scrimageour began.

Harry blinked, fighting the urge to glance at Malfoy in surprise. So he hadn't been sent there because Malfoy was trying to get him in trouble. Obviously, Malfoy had no idea why they were asked there either. Feeling a bit more relaxed, Harry settled back into the cushioned chair.

"Now, I will be attending a…private meeting and will not be able to deliver this confidential letter that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. It's rather urgent. So, I've called you both here because I need you two to deliver it for me."

"What? I'm not working with him!" Malfoy snapped, glaring heatedly at Harry.

Harry ignored him purposefully and sat up in his seat. "Minister, why couldn't you just Owl it?"

"Like I said, Harry, it's confidential, which means it could fall into the wrong hands or at least mistakenly to someone other than the person it needs to be given to. No, it's much safer to hand it to them on purpose. The problem is that they live in Ireland so it is quite a distance away, much too far to apparate so a train will be needed."

"Wh—"

"Now, I understand you both have had disagreements," Scrimageour said, interrupting Harry before he could complain, "but it's too dangerous just to have you go alone, Harry, because this letter is very important. Plus, sending you with Mr. Malfoy would make it less conspicuous so I doubt anyone will question you. Because of the Dark Age and all they normally check all suitcases and belongings, but because it's you Harry," he said, as Malfoy snorted sarcastically, "and because you'll be traveling with Mr. Malfoy it won't be suspicious. Meaning, they'll probably assume you two are friends going on a trip."

Both Harry and Malfoy scowled darkly and Harry immediately objected. "Minister, I understand that this…er, letter, is very important and urgent, but Malfoy isn't exactly a reliable person to help me take a _confidential_ document someplace."

"Like I'd _ever_ want to help you Potter!" Malfoy snarled darkly, sending him a nasty glance.

Scrimageour shook his head a few times. "This isn't up for discussion, for either one of you," he said, glancing at Malfoy as well, who scowled silently. "Now, I'm up for rewarding both of you, if you cooperate with one another just for this important mission and as long as it gets delivered safely and in one piece. Mr. Malfoy, if you help Mr. Potter accomplish this, without either one of you getting into trouble, then you can earn back your wand."

Harry's jaw clenched as Malfoy looked perplexed. Finally, the blond nodded in reluctant agreement.

"Minister! Malfoy's parents worked for Voldemort! Not to mention, his father even tried to kill me a couple times! There is no way I can trust him!" Harry exclaimed.

"Potter, you will have your wand to defend yourself if necessary. But if Mr. Malfoy makes any attempt on your life or to disrupt the mission in any way then he won't earn his wand back," Scrimageour said, easing Harry's outrage. "Now, this is not a simple request, I am demanding this of both of you. And Harry, if you do this I will not only give you permission to hex Mr. Malfoy, if anything should go wrong, but also I will allow you to test for your apparation license for free when you return."

Malfoy's expression darkened and Harry felt a little better about the whole thing. The Minister obviously didn't know Harry had already apparated a couple times without having his license, but it had been an emergency. At least having his license would allow him to go to many more places and that way he wouldn't have to do it illegally.

"Fine," Harry grumbled darkly. "So, you said I can hex Malfoy?"

"If he is threatening or attacking you or if he gets so out-of-hand that it disrupts the mission. Those are the only times, Mr. Potter," Scrimageour warned firmly.

Scowling, Malfoy sent Harry a reproachful look satisfying him enough to agree completely. Nodding, the Minister then handed an envelope to Harry.

"I have purchased two train tickets to Ireland for the both of you that will leave tomorrow morning. Mr. Potter, don't be worried about your classes because I have already excused you."

Harry closed his mouth and reluctantly slipped the letter into his robe. Malfoy had his arms crossed over his chest and was still looking quite dissatisfied.

"The destination is on the envelope, but make sure to keep that envelope concealed. If anyone asks about it, just say it's for your uncle, or some relative, alright? It leaves tomorrow morning at eight so you two will meet back here in the lobby so you can be escorted by Mrs. Marbury to the station. Mr. Potter, you will have to keep an eye on Mr. Malfoy, since he still hasn't earned enough to not be guarded. Please don't make me regret this and remember unless this gets delivered successfully neither one of you will get what I've offered. Is that clear?"

Rolling his eyes a bit, Malfoy nodded bluntly and Harry followed suit. The Minister smiled and then sighed heavily.

"Minister, if Malfoy has to be guarded then why can't someone else come with us? Or why can't Malfoy stay here?" Harry asked, ignoring the blond's heated glare.

Scrimageour smiled sadly and shook his head. "I'm afraid that won't work. Trust me, I thought of that, but you see Harry…a very urgent meeting has come up, like I've said, and it requires the presence of every Ministry member. So there will be no aurors here to guard Mr. Malfoy at the inn or here and a member can't go with you two either."

"Why is the meeting that urgent? Is it about Voldemort?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Now, now, don't concern yourselves about it. Just be here in the lobby tomorrow morning. Mr. Malfoy, you can wait here until I can escort you back to the inn. Harry, you are free to go."

Harry got up slowly, watching Malfoy out of the corner of his eye, and then left the room. The blond didn't follow him so Harry decided to go back to Hogwarts. He could tell the Minister was hiding something from him. Despite the Minister's unusual perkiness and naïve attitude toward certain things, he did a good job of hiding classified information from him. Harry desperately wanted to know what the meeting was about, but he had no choice but to go on this mission. Besides, he had to make sure Malfoy was being watched by someone, even if it had to be him, just to make sure he couldn't break any rules.

Heading back to Hogwarts, Harry found Hermione in the library studying and she was apparently alone. Harry debated whether or not to tell her of his suspicions of Malfoy. He felt she was just tell him to leave it alone, per usual. So, he opted to skip that part, but he did discuss what the Minister had requested of him and the blond.

"That sounds very unlike him," Hermione responded once he was finished. "Not only that, but he's relying on you, a seventeen-year-old, to watch someone who was nearly arrested for attempted murder, among other things. I suppose he must think you can handle Malfoy since you've fought Voldemort."

"I guess," Harry murmured as he laid his head onto his arm. "I mean, Malfoy doesn't have his wand and I do, but I just…the Minister is hiding something from me and if it's about Voldemort I have a right to know because I'm his primary target."

Hermione pursed her lips and leaned forward in her chair. "That's true, Harry, but even in the past when the Dark Age was just coming into its height, when Dumbledore was still alive, you still weren't allowed to participate in any of the Order or Ministry meetings. And Dumbledore only allowed you to know only bits and pieces when he thought it necessary. So it's no different from the past, really."

"Yeah," Harry sighed, adjusting his glasses. "Say, Hermione? Erm…I was wondering if there's…you know, a way I could get rid of my glasses."

Hermione straightened up and tilted her head in curiosity. "You mean, you want to be able to see without them?"

Harry nodded, not wanting to go into detail about the situation in the Ministry lavatory in which being blind had a large disadvantage.

"Well…there is a cure, a magical one."

"There is? Really?" Harry quipped, perplexed and relieved.

Hermione looked vaguely amused. "Of course Harry. Just like in the muggle world if you pay a whole bunch for a complex eye operation or laser surgery you can fix your vision. However, in the wizard world it's a little more complicated than surgery. There is a potion that can be made but it's very complex and takes several months to brew. Not to mention the ingredients are hard to find, only because many of them have to be imported from other countries, such as the Bicorn horn."

"I thought Snape used that in a potion once," Harry said.

"True, but however he got it we'll never know. Anyway, like I said it takes several months to brew," Hermione answered.

"I don't have that kind of time," Harry said, feeling the weight of disappointment. He certainly didn't want Malfoy to have the upper hand again. Last time, even when Malfoy was unarmed, he still managed to blind Harry and take his wand.

"Well, you know…there is a short-cut, but it's challenging and technically illegal, only because potion stores and whatnot lose money," Hermione began and Harry leaned forward eagerly. "You could find a phoenix and make it cry. Of course it'd have to cry in your eyes, or at least the phoenix tears would have to somehow fall into your eyes."

Harry sat up quickly. "Fawkes is still in Dumbledore's office! Well, McGonagall's now, but he's still there."

"True, but making a phoenix cry is nearly impossible, Harry. I mean, they only cry when they feel they have to."

"But Fawkes healed me in the Chamber of Secrets!" Harry argued.

"Yes, Harry, but it was obvious you were in need of healing then. Fawkes may not understand that you need healing this time around. All I'm saying is that there's a slim chance it'll work," Hermione said.

Nodding reluctantly, Harry got up from the table to let her study. She waved to him as he left and made his way to the Headmistress' office. Once he went up the stairs from behind the gargoyle, he knocked on the door. He was relieved when there was no reply. Harry figured that maybe the meeting the Minister had mentioned was that night and perhaps McGonagall was required to attend as well. Either way, her office was open and Fawkes was sitting in his perch cleaning his golden feathers.

"Hi," Harry said gently, approaching the phoenix.

Fawkes released a noise and cocked his head. Blinking, the bird scooted down its perch and then flew to Harry's shoulder.

"You remember me then?" Harry smiled. "It has been a while. I'm sorry I haven't visited. I know you must be sad that Dumbledore's gone."

Fawkes cocked his head again and stared at him from his shoulder. Walking to the desk, Harry sat down in the plush chair and reached up to stroke Fawkes' feathers.

"I never got a chance to thank you for healing me in the Chamber of Secrets," Harry said, staring into his beady eyes.

Fawkes blinked and opened his beak, releasing a soothing melody. It was brief, but Harry wondered if Fawkes understood what he was saying.

"I'm not sure if you want to help me again, or if you even understand what I'm saying, but I was wondering…," Harry hesitated, feeling a bit awkward for talking to a bird that he wasn't sure understood him. "But, if you could, it would be helpful if you could heal my eyesight."

Fawkes stared at him, blinking his beady eyes and Harry sighed. Then he decided to take off his glasses, putting them on desk. Although Fawkes was now a blurry figure on his shoulder, Harry leaned toward the bird until his forehead brushed up against Fawkes' beak. He was trying to signal what he wanted, but he wasn't sure how to do it. Harry remained like that for several minutes and finally leaned his face upward so his eyes were aligned with Fawkes'. He could scarcely see, but he felt the phoenix's feathery face up against his. Harry stared into what he suspected was Fawkes' eyes, just remaining still and wondering if the bird could even tell he could hardly see.

Something touched his cheek and Harry reached up his hand and felt something wet. His heart skipped a beat and he leaned closer to Fawkes, tilting his head back. Keeping his eyes open, he felt something drip into his left eye. Blinking several times, Harry shifted to try and catch a tear in his other eye. He had to wait a minute or so but he felt something wet fall into his other eye. To make sure it would work, Harry shut his eyes despite the strange tingling. He kept his eyes shut for many minutes and eventually he opened his eyes. Fawkes stared at him, cocking his head back and forth almost curiously. Blinking, Harry realized that Fawkes was in perfect focus.

"Fawkes, you did it!" Harry exclaimed in exuberance.

Reaching out, Harry scratched the bird under his chin with affection. "Thank you, Fawkes."

The bird let out another soft sound and blinked at him while he fluffed his wings out. Then Fawkes flew back to his perch and nestled under his feathers. Smiling at the bird, Harry watched him for a few seconds and then quietly left the room. He completely forgot about his glasses that still lay idly on the desk. Hermione was sitting in the common room having another argument with Ron about his lack of studying. Dean was also there, playing Wizard snaps with Seamus and another boy. Ginny was also there sitting with a boy Harry recognized as Owen Cauldwell from Hufflepuff. Considering Owen wasn't in his common room, Harry had a feeling that perhaps something was going on between them. Although a part of him felt like he should mind, because if they were going out together then she got over him fairly quickly, but then again she most likely was taking his advice. And that way he wouldn't feel so guilty about not being around and spending time with her.

Ginny looked up and saw him and her eyes widened. Harry just gave her a smile to show that he wasn't angry that she was sitting with another boy. Owen glanced backward at Harry and waved so he waved back. Then he approached Ron and Hermione, interrupting their argument.

"I was going to start the essay, okay Hermione? You don't have to act like my mother!" Ron snapped.

"Do you, or do you not, want to graduate?" Hermione retorted firmly.

"I...Harry!" Ron smiled, looking relieved to see him.

Glancing at Ron indignantly, Hermione turned toward him. "Harry, where are you glasses? You…did you…?"

"Yep," Harry smiled, feeling his pride swell as Hermione stared at him in awe.

"How did you do it? It's said to be nearly impossible! Only wizards who have trained their phoenixes for years can get them to cry on command!" Hermione exclaimed, flabbergasted.

Ron's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What? What's going on? What happened to Harry's glasses?"

"Harry went to Fawkes and had him heal his eyesight!" Hermione exclaimed.

Smiling, Harry sat down next to her on the couch and nodded. "Yeah, it took a little while, but Fawkes is really intelligent. I think he understood what I was saying."

"So…your eyesight's healed then? Permanently?" Ron asked in wonder.

"Er…," Harry glanced at Hermione uncertainly.

Hermione tilted her head and then nodded. "In theory, yes. It should be permanent. But…Harry this is so amazing! You should use that to write your final parchment for our _Advanced Magical Beasts_ class!"

Ron snorted in response, earning a glare from her.

"Er, Hermione…," Harry began, raising his eyebrows, "that would take all of about five sentences to explain what I did."

Hermione rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Honestly! You two are horrible with studies! I'm surprised neither of you were ever held back!"

"Hey, my grades weren't _that_ bad!" Ron retorted hotly.

"Right," Hermione said, disbelieving, "and that's because their requirements for passing a class are rather lax. You know, if we went to Beauxbatons, we'd have to get at least an E for Exceeds Expectations. Not even A's are allowed."

"That's because they're all goody-goodies who don't have anything better to do than stick their noses in books. They don't even have Quidditch there!" Ron exclaimed, clearly outraged.

Harry sighed heavily. "Look, it's fine. I'm just happy I can see without depending on my glasses anymore. Besides, they've gotten broken so many times and I'm sick of using magic to repair them. It's better this way because if I face Voldemort again then he can't take advantage of me by removing my glasses."

He failed to mention that Malfoy couldn't take advantage of him either. He figured that neither Ron nor Hermione really _needed_ to know what happened in the Ministry lavatory.

"I think I'm going to go to bed. The Minister said the train leaves at eight tomorrow so I have to be at the Ministry by seven thirty."

"What? Why?" Ron asked.

"Hermione can tell you," Harry said, holding back a yawn.

"Good luck, Harry," Hermione said, coming over to give him a hug.

Ron stood up, confused. "Where's he going? What's going on?"

"Shush, Ron! I'll tell you in a minute!" Hermione scolded. "Good night Harry."

"Night," he said, waving at them both.

As he ascended the stairs toward his room, he heard Ron questioning Hermione to the point of nearly whining. Smiling in amusement, Harry went into his room and the sound of his friends' voices became too quiet for him to hear. Because it was only a little past nine, he wasn't surprised to find that he was the only one in the room. Getting dressed into his pajamas, Harry crawled into his bed. Out of habit, he put a hand to his face to take off his glasses and instantly remembered that he didn't need them anymore.

"I guess I left them in McGonagall's office. I s'pose she'll know I was in there, but it doesn't matter," Harry murmured aloud.

As he lay in bed, Harry pondered what the trip would be like. He certainly wasn't looking forward to being stuck with Malfoy. Only part of him was suspicious of Malfoy being since the blond hadn't given him any valid reason to believe he was working for Voldemort (or on his father's orders, considering his mum and dad were to be executed in just a couple of days). However, he still thought about the lavatory incident in which Malfoy had nearly drowned him. There was little doubt in his mind that the blond would've drowned him for sure, but there was no proof of that. Still, Harry wondered why Malfoy didn't just kill him when he had his wand. Perhaps the blond couldn't perform the killing curse or maybe he wanted Harry to be alive so Voldemort could take the pleasure in killing him slowly. Either way, there was still some fear in the back of his mind concerning the blond.

Harry managed to fall asleep, despite the unsettling sensation that something dreadful would happen. By early morning, Harry managed to get up in time to take a shower. He slipped on a pair of dark-blue jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt beneath his winter coat. Then he set out for the Ministry and found Malfoy leaning up against the fountain in a pair of expensive-looking black jeans and a silver-grey colored turtleneck with his black pea-coat. Harry nearly rolled his eyes at the blond's expensive attire, but didn't because Cealla Marbury was there.

"Good, you're both on time," she said casually. "We are taking a Portkey to the train station and that's where I'll leave you two."

Harry nodded, trying to ignore Malfoy's presence as much as possible. She summoned the Portkey and each of them put their hands on it. The familiar tug behind his nostrils surprised him at first, but before he could blink twice they were there in the Wizard train station. Cealla nodded toward them both.

"Good luck you two. The Minister says he hopes you will come back within two days having successfully completed the mission."

Then she vanished and Harry was left standing with Malfoy, who had his arms crossed over his chest. The blond immediately headed toward the train and Harry followed him. They got onto it and Harry followed Malfoy into an empty compartment.

"Potter! Why the hell are you following me?" Malfoy spat angrily. "Just because we have to work on this mission together, doesn't mean we need to sit near one another."

"Actually, we do," Harry said darkly. "The Minister said to keep you in my sight at all times. Remember, Malfoy, you're still not allowed to walk around freely. So until you are, I'm keeping my eye on you and as instructed I can hex you if you even show one minor sign that you're up to something."

Scowling angrily, Malfoy sat down on the seat and Harry sat across from him in the other seat. They lapsed into silence and Malfoy seemed content to ignore him completely. Harry tried to not even glance in the blond's direction, keeping his eyes firmly planted outside the window, watching as the scenery passed. A little while later, their compartment opened and an older, hefty witch walked in with a trolley full of teas, sweets (like black-forest pudding), drinks like iced pumpkin juice and flavored butterbeers, and more. Considering that it was a much larger train than the Hogwarts Express and it was also going a longer distance, there was much more to choose from.

"Would either of you gentlemen like anything?" she asked in a rather high-pitched voice.

"I would," Malfoy said, lifting his chin in the air as he avoided glancing at Harry.

And then he proceeded to pull out a handful of wizard coins and Harry inwardly felt his anger boil once more. So in retaliation, Harry pulled out his own handful of coins, which earned a reproachful glance from the blond. The two of them bought more than they really needed, but thankfully the food kept them preoccupied so they didn't have to face one another at all. Harry sipped his black-raspberry-flavored butterbeer, while munching on some chocolate frogs, and Cornish pasties, and continued to stare out the window. Giving in to his curiosity, Harry turned his head to gaze over at Draco. The blond was reading the Daily Prophet and sipping his own drink (if Harry remembered correctly he called it White Dragonian Tea). The blond's bangs had begun to slide down his face, since they were fairly long, ghosting right over his eyes. For some reason, Harry couldn't tear his eyes away that is until the train suddenly jerked so forcefully that Harry flew out of his seat and collided with Malfoy.

"Potter! Get the hell off me!" Malfoy shouted, pushing Harry away roughly.

"It wasn't my fault!" Harry exclaimed.

The train trembled violently and Harry fell backward. It shook so hard that Harry heard the screech of the wheels and felt a sudden jerk as the train seemed to slide off the track and tilt sideways. Malfoy was flung off his seat as well and landed on Harry's left leg. Wincing, Harry tried to kick him away and grabbed the arm rest of the seat to try and pull himself up. There was screaming and also the screeching of the train as it continued to tilt and go much faster than it should have. Harry managed to hoist himself onto his feet and roughly slid the window open to look outside. The train's wheels were basically falling off the track and it was going abnormally fast. There was smoke coming from the engine and Harry was certain that something had apparently malfunctioned.

Suddenly, the train lurched forward, its wheels slipping off the track and Harry had to grab the windowsill to keep from flying backward. The train was now practically skidding sideways and still moving at a surprisingly fast velocity. Harry's eyes widened as he saw they were approaching a tunnel and from the way the train was positioned, it wasn't going to fit through but rather it would crash right into it. Harry wheeled his head around to Malfoy who was gripping the seat as he stood up.

"We have to jump!" Harry shouted.

"Are you bloody insane Potter?" Malfoy snapped.

"We're approaching a tunnel! We'll crash right into it! Do you want to in here when it collides?" Harry exclaimed, over the roar of the screeching from the tracks.

Malfoy glared at him and suddenly something flew by in the hallway. Harry saw that it was luggage and something very large fell and blocked their compartment door, making a very loud bang as it did so. Malfoy glanced over his shoulder at it and suddenly ran forward, pushing Harry out of the way. He opened the window all the way and began heaving himself through. Scrambling to his feet, Harry followed suit, gripping the windowsill tightly so he wouldn't be thrown off his feet. Malfoy slipped out of the window and stood on a very small latch, gripping onto the outside of the train very tightly. The blond was still gripping the window, making it so that Harry could only climb part of the way out.

"Malfoy move!" Harry shouted angrily.

"I'll bloody move when I want to!" Malfoy snapped hotly.

Harry turned his head and saw the tunnel wasn't far away and they were rapidly approaching it.

"Malfoy, the tunnel!"

The blond glanced sideways at it and just at that moment one of the wheels of the train hit something off the tracks. The violence thrust of the train caused Malfoy's grip to slip. As the blond made a sound of surprise he grabbed hold of the first thing he could, which happened to be Harry's shirt. Harry was tugged violently and he lost his grip on the windowsill, causing them both to fall right off the train. Fortunately, the train was positioned far enough over so they didn't land on the tracks, but rather on the rough dirt of the hill next to the tracks. The wind was knocked out of him and Harry could scarcely breathe. A leg kicked him in the back and he groaned, turning over to see Malfoy fighting to get to his feet.

"The train!" Harry shouted, struggling to get to his feet.

He just barely got to his feet before a huge sound echoed in the air. The train had collided with the tunnel and was completely knocked over, one part of it exploding in the process. Harry stared at it in shock watching as flames enveloped part of the train as the rest of it tipped over, skidding across the ground. For several minutes Harry just stared at it, waiting for survivors to come stumbling out or for red sparks to shoot up in the air, but nothing happened. The train was in a wreck and smoke and fire were billowing up to the sky. Harry quickly pointed his wand up to the sky and shot red sparks in the air hoping that somebody would see it.

"There's no point, Potter! Are you daft? Do you really think anybody could survive that?" Malfoy drawled.

Wheeling around, Harry pointed his wand in his face. "You knew this would happen, didn't you?"

"Right Potter, I wanted to sabotage a train while I'm on it," Malfoy drawled sarcastically, glaring at him.

Harry's eyes narrowed coldly. "Shut-up! We're going to do this my way, Malfoy! I could just paralyze you and drop you in some nearby pond or just leave you here to rot and you know what?" Harry shouted, as Malfoy's expression darkened, "I bet no one would even miss you or care! So you just shut the hell up! And if you even think about apparating—"

"You _are_ bloody stupid aren't you?" Malfoy quipped coldly. "You really think they'd take my wand away but leave me the ability to apparate?"

"Just don't try anything or I swear I will kill you!" Harry shouted angrily.

Malfoy glared venomously at him and the sky suddenly rumbled loudly. Looking up at the dark clouds, Harry realized it would rain soon. That would make the temperature drop even more. Honestly, Harry knew that he couldn't actually apparate when they were in the middle of no where. He had never apparated more than a short distance and he had no idea where they were currently.

"We better find shelter," Harry said.

"I am not getting stranded out here with you, Potter! Just make a bloody Portkey!" Malfoy snapped.

"I can't Malfoy! Portkeys need to be _preprogrammed_ otherwise it can't transport you anywhere! Not to mention if you aren't authorized to make a Portkey it won't work!"

Clenching his fists, Malfoy picked up a piece of trash that had probably fallen out of the train.

"Try it!"

Glaring heatedly, Harry snatched it away from him and shouted: "Portus!"

Malfoy touched it quickly but nothing happened.

"I told you! It can't work unless the spell on this object is preprogrammed to transport a person to a specific place!"

"Well what the bloody hell are we supposed to do then Potter? We're in the middle of no where, in case you hadn't noticed!" Malfoy shouted, gesturing to the trees and bushes surrounding them.

"I'm not blind, Malfoy!" Harry snapped.

"Really? Maybe you should put on those ridiculous glasses of yours!" Malfoy drawled coldly.

"Actually, Malfoy, I don't need them anymore! My vision's been healed! And I can see _perfectly_ fine!" Harry bellowed furiously.

Thunder crackled in the sky as rain slowly began to fall. Harry glanced up at it, cursing the bad weather on top of everything else. Malfoy angrily wheeled around, his coat billowing in the wind, and stomped down the hill toward the small thicket of trees resembling woods.

"Malfoy, stop! Where are you going?" Harry shouted, hurrying to catch up with him.

"To find shelter, Potter! If you want to get struck by lightning, please be my guest!" Malfoy snapped, continuing into the forest.

Angrily, Harry followed him knowing there wasn't much else either of them could do. He clenched his wand tightly in his hand and with his free hand he reached into his coat pocket to make sure the confidential letter was still there. Thankfully, it was but that didn't do them much good seeing as how they didn't have any transportation to get them to their destination. After a good ten minute walk in the woods, stepping over fallen branches and hearing strange noises, a cave was spotted in the distance. It was small and narrow, but they managed to squeeze inside as it began to pour. Harry was wet and cold and definitely beyond pissed. Muttering _lumos_ he lightened the way so they could see. There wasn't much room in the small cave, but thankfully there didn't appear to be any bats or hungry creatures.

"Potter, are you going to make a fire or not!" Malfoy sneered at him.

He was about to retort with a "maybe I won't" but he realized that he was shivering slightly. Angrily, Harry murmured _Incendio _and a fire erupted on the cave floor, big enough to warm the small area. Harry sat down nearby it, relaxing as the warmth began to dry his clothes. He noticed that he was beginning to feel a bit drowsy but there was no way he was going to doze off at all. He wasn't about to give Malfoy a chance to snatch his wand.

"Turn around Potter," Malfoy drawled.

"Why the hell would I listen to you?"

"Because I'm taking off my clothes and I don't need you to watch me!" Malfoy snapped.

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Like hell I would! I'm not perverted like you!"

The blond gazed at him coldly. "What the hell do you mean by that, Potter?"

"What, you don't remember what happened in the Ministry lavatory?" Harry challenged angrily.

"Please, Potter, like I wanted to see you naked. I think that just about scarred me for life," Malfoy drawled unpleasantly. "Besides, Potter, I understand why you're so embarrassed. I would too, if I was too small in certain areas."

"SHUT THE BLOODY HELL UP!" Harry bellowed, pointing his wand at him. "Do you want me to transport your testicles to another country, because I will! I don't need you Malfoy! I could easily leave you here to starve to death and go off by myself!"

"Oh right, except that you'd probably be sent to Azkaban for that since the Minister told you to keep an eye on me," Malfoy retorted nastily. "And if you come anywhere near my testicles you'll be sorry."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Harry snapped defensively.

Malfoy just sneered at him, pushing his bangs back away from his face. "Are you going to turn around, Potter, or would you rather watch me undress?"

Harry clenched his jaw angrily, but backed up a couple of steps. "Don't try anything! Or _you'll_ be sorry!"

With that, Harry turned around but made sure to keep a firm hold of his wand. Behind him, he heard the rustling of clothing. A minute later he heard the sound of a zipper being pulled down and immediately he felt heat rising to his cheeks. He was grateful that he was facing away from Malfoy. He didn't know why he suddenly felt so uncomfortable and claustrophobic, but he couldn't help the blood from spreading in his face to his neck. Trying to ignore it, he stared at a particular spot on the cave wall waiting for any sign that Malfoy was done. After fifteen minutes of staring at the wall and feeling extremely impatient, Harry decided to break the awkward silence.

"Are you finished yet?"

"Shut-up Potter! I'll tell you when I'm finished!"

"I'm not going to stand here forever!"

Malfoy didn't respond and Harry became so enraged that he wheeled around angrily. Malfoy was clad only his black boxers and he had begun to pull his boxers down. Harry caught sight of the crease between his hip and pelvic bone but it was covered as Malfoy hurriedly pulled up his boxers again.

"POTTER! What did I tell you?" Malfoy bellowed.

"You didn't answer me! And you were taking forever!"

"I don't want you to lay eyes on me, got it?"

Harry's lips curled into a mock sneer. "And why's that? Are you _lacking_ in some areas?"

Malfoy's expression darkened as his eyes narrowed. Before Harry could blink, Malfoy tugged down his boxers and Harry got a good look at what was between his legs.

"MALFOY!" Harry exclaimed, covering his eyes even though he had already seen everything. "I did not need to see that!"

"Then don't ever insult my manhood Potter! Because I know for a fact that I'm not lacking in anything! Many girls at Hogwarts have told me so," Malfoy drawled and Harry whipped his head to gaze at him in surprise, forgetting that the blond was currently naked.

Harry focused his eyes on the blond's face, making sure to keep them there. "So?"

"So, Potter, I haven't overheard any girls talking about you," Malfoy drawled, smirking widely. "And I've seen what you have and it really isn't much to offer, now is it?"

"First off, Malfoy I'm not a whore like you! I actually have morals! And second off, I don't think you're a good judge of my body, unless you're gay!" Harry snapped.

"_Don't_ call me names Potter!" Malfoy snarled. "You know nothing of my sex-life and I intend to keep it that way! And if anyone's effeminate here, it'd be you!"

"I am _not_ effeminate!" Harry bellowed.

Malfoy sneered. "At least I know many girls are attracted to me. I heard about your pathetic attempts with Cho Chang and then the freckled little Weasley girl. Cho was _at least_ a better candidate than Weasel's little sister, but you downright failed that one, didn't you? Couldn't compare with the talented, charming and attractive Cedric Diggory, could you Potter?"

"Burn in hell Malfoy!" Harry shouted venomously, clenching his fists in rage.

Sneering coldly, Malfoy picked up his black boxers that had been laid out by the fire with his other clothes and slipped them on, now that they were apparently dry. Harry hadn't realized how long they had been arguing but he was still fuming with anger, feeling like he wanted to knock a bludger straight at Malfoy's head. The blond slipped on his pants and shirt and then folded his coat into a pillow and lay down without another word. Harry was incredibly tempted to hex the blond till he couldn't move, but he knew he'd get in trouble for it eventually.

Settling down onto the cold, rock floor, Harry held back his anger and the desire to set Malfoy on fire. He didn't want to admit that Malfoy was right, in some ways. The blond _was_ well-endowed, from what Harry could tell, but that didn't mean Harry was too small…did it? He had never thought about his body in that light before. In fact, he hadn't ever thought about his body, or sex. He wasn't ever going to admit that to Malfoy or anyone for that matter. Still, he knew that he hadn't been as attractive as Cedric Diggory. He had been the dorky-eyed, lanky teen back then. Since he got away from the Dursleys, he had been eating better and he gained more weight. Not to mention, Quidditch kept him in shape, but he still didn't know if girls found him attractive or not. He wasn't a good judge of himself and asking Ginny or Hermione wouldn't mean anything since they were his good friends (and Ginny had had a crush on him). He had hardly had any time to attempt a relationship, let alone become intimate enough for sex. Harry wasn't even sure he was ready for sex…

Voldemort was still at large so even if Harry found a girl he was attracted to, she would probably be too scared to date him, if she even liked him in return. The rock floor wasn't very comfortable as Harry shifted awkwardly. He suddenly felt self-conscious and wondered if he was attractive at all. Inwardly cursing the blond, Harry tried to forget about what Malfoy had said and concentrated on finding ways to stay up as the blond rested. He didn't want to give Malfoy any advantage. And most importantly, he had to find some way to get to where the Minister needed them to be.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

To Reviewers: 

**OnlyCruel2BKind: **I'm glad you're enjoying this so far! I will update as soon as I can!

**GrimWriter: **I'm glad you like how Malfoy's being portrayed! Yeah, I like the mystery about him too. Don't worry, I know it seems like the romance is far off, but it will come!

**Peaceful Angel: **Thank you! I'm glad you like this so far! I will update shortly!

**SnowFalcon: **I'm glad you like this so far! Well, the plotline is different from Captivation, obviously, as well as the genres. Instead of romance/drama it's romance/suspense, so Malfoy and Harry aren't going to get close as quickly as they did in Captivation. It's a different sort of story between them, but it'll come progressively! The vampire thing is important in a particular way for later on, but vampires won't be prominent in this story. I shall update as soon as I can!


	4. Unsolved Mystery

**Pure Rhapsody**

**Chapter 3: Unsolved Mystery**

It was hard staying awake for several hours, but Harry managed it by concentrating on how much Malfoy pissed him off. While the blond was resting quietly, Harry glanced at him from time to time wondering if Malfoy was at all involved in the train collision. Certainly he wouldn't purposefully put himself in danger, unless…unless he _knew_ he wouldn't get hurt. What if it had all been a set-up? What if Voldemort had been behind it? He kept telling himself that if Voldemort had somehow known he was going on the train to deliver a confidential letter then why wouldn't he have come after Harry? Unless Voldemort just assumed he died in the collision. And perhaps that meant that Malfoy was working for Voldemort.

Harry shook his head angrily. It was too hard to figure out exactly how the train crash had happened. There were too many possibilities and factors to take into account. He wished that he was an expert at Legilmency so he could read Malfoy's mind to figure out if Malfoy was guilty of anything, such as working for Voldemort still. Although Harry had no proof that Malfoy was up to anything, he would continue to keep a close eye on the blond in case Malfoy did end up giving something away. Focusing his thoughts elsewhere, Harry suddenly remembered seeing Malfoy naked. He tried to forget about it, but strangely it kept coming into his mind. A part of him was tempted to examine his own body some time to see if Malfoy was telling the truth about Harry being "too small", but then a larger part of him kept saying: _Why the hell should you care what Malfoy says about your body? _

Shaking his head, Harry forced any thoughts about Malfoy out of his mind and focused on a possible escape. He knew apparation was out of the question only because of the distance. He certainly didn't want to leave behind an arm or a leg. And Malfoy was right about the fact that he'd probably get in trouble anyway. Not to mention leaving Malfoy alone could potentially be dangerous, if Malfoy _was_ planning to try and free his parents, or planning anything at all. His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to think of ways to travel, hoping that an idea would come to him. He knew they couldn't use floo powder, or any form of communication (except maybe emitting red sparks from his wand, but he didn't know how long it would take for someone to come. That reminded him of the train crash and he wondered if they should go up and look for possible survivors, in case no one saw the red sparks).

Suddenly, as Harry was contemplating whether they should go back, he remembered about his broom. Although they were a far distance from Hogwarts, perhaps he could still call his broom. It was worth a shot; they really didn't have any other option. Hurriedly, Harry rose and approached Malfoy. Without actually bending down to touch him, Harry used a fairly harmless charm that sent a mild shock toward the blond.

"POTTER!" Malfoy shouted, standing up rapidly while glaring at him. "What did I tell you about challenging me!"

"It wasn't a challenge. I needed you to wake up," Harry said, feeling rather satisfied. "I think I've found a way to get out of this place."

Malfoy crossed his arms stubbornly. "And how's that?" he drawled.

Harry had the urge to hex him, but he didn't. "I can summon my broom and then we can fly to—"

"Summon your broom! That's the brilliant idea?" Malfoy snapped. "Potter, do you realize how far from Hogwarts we are? Can your pathetic brain figure out that the spell to summon a broom only works up to a certain distance?"

"Well it's worth a shot!" Harry yelled, clenching his fists tightly.

"Oh, and why's that? Because you're the _famous_ Harry Potter?" Malfoy drawled sarcastically.

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Because it just so happens, _Malfoy_, that I have a new broom. In fact, it's the newest edition out there as of yet so I'll bet that it might be able to be called a longer distance than my Firebolt."

"And what new broom is this Potter?" Malfoy sneered.

"The _Elixir1000_ actually," Harry said proudly. "The sample came out in New Zealand and it hasn't yet been officially on the market but since, as you put it, I'm the _famous Harry Potter_, I was given it as a gift by one of Dumbledore's long-standing friends that I met a few months ago. And while you've been surrounded by Ministry members for the crimes you've committed, and you haven't been out there in the world recently, you wouldn't know about it."

The blond's sneer faded and soon he was glaring at him with such intense anger Harry actually wondered if Malfoy was going to lunge at him. Harry then wheeled around and walked away, satisfied that he had finally won an argument with the blond. Malfoy didn't take to losing easily, but since Harry was his only escape he knew that the blond wouldn't fight him. Harry used the spell once he was outside and waited to see if the broom would come. He heard Malfoy slowly approaching a distance behind him. After several minutes of silence, and of Harry making sure to keep his back to the blond, Malfoy spoke:

"Well Potter, where's this _fantastic_ new broom of yours?" he drawled in amusement.

Harry wheeled around in frustration. "You know, I really should have just knocked you out while you were resting and left you here!"

Malfoy's eyes darkened. "Trust me, if you wouldn't have gotten in trouble with the Minister, had you done that, you certainly would be paid back by me."

"Malfoy, you…," Harry suddenly trailed off as he noticed a faint whizzing noise.

Turning around and ignoring the blond, Harry looked up toward the sky. Seconds later he spotted something heading toward him. A sly grin spread across his face and he turned toward Malfoy.

"Now what do you have to say?" he questioned smugly.

Malfoy caught sight of the broom and Harry didn't even wait for him to retort. He walked further out and waited for it to land nearby. Unfortunately, now that the broom was there, Harry realized the only way for both of them to escape would be to ride together. Harry reluctantly got on the broom and turned to Malfoy who was staring at him with a disgusted expression.

"Potter! Like hell I'm going to ride a broom with you!"

Harry felt his face begin to heat up at the way that it sounded. Whether or not Malfoy intended it to sound sexual, Harry couldn't deny what it implied.

"Malfoy, just get on the broom!" Harry snapped, knowing full-well that he couldn't leave the blond there for several reasons.

Scowling, the blond stalked toward him and reluctantly sat behind him. Harry could feel the warmth of his body behind him and an odd sensation hit his stomach. Malfoy sat back as far as he could, which wasn't very far, and gripped the small bit of the broom handle between them. Harry was grateful for that since it would've been extremely awkward for the blond to hold onto his waist. Rising up, Harry took off remembering the address on the envelope. He wasn't exactly sure where it was, but using a directional charm his wand guided him to the place.

It was a small house near a very large hill overlooking a vast landscape with a stream and much grass. It was relatively isolated, but had a beautiful garden outside and appeared homely. Harry got off the broom quickly, as did Malfoy, and the two of them walked toward the house. Knocking gently, Harry waited for an answer but none came.

"Hello?" Harry called out, knocking once more.

"Great, we get assigned this _important_ mission and are forced to go together and he's not even home!" Malfoy glowered angrily.

Harry tilted his head and glared at him. Then he turned back to the door and was about to knock again when he noticed something strange. There appeared to be scorch marks near the knob. Harry bent down to inspect them, reaching out to brush his fingers against the marks. As he did, the slight pressure on the door caused it to fall open, just barely hanging off one hinge.

"The door's broken," Harry said aloud, staring at it while his heart pounded in his chest.

"Really, how could you tell?" Malfoy drawled.

"Shut-up! There were scorch marks on the door! That means a forced entry," Harry said, pulling out his wand.

Very slowly, he entered with Malfoy following behind him. The two of them walked into the entry hall and saw that nothing looked amiss. There wasn't broken glass or signs of burglary or anything.

"Hello?" Harry called again uncertainly.

He was getting a very bad vibe. Heading left, he found himself in the kitchen. Malfoy was following behind him looking bored and Harry tried to ignore him. The downstairs appeared deserted. Perhaps no one was home. Glancing toward a small staircase, Harry ascended up to the second floor. It was quite small for there was only a large bathroom and then one door down the hall that Harry assumed was the bedroom. Turning around, Harry noticed Malfoy wasn't with him. Not wanting to let the blond out of his sight, Harry crept partly back down the stairs.

"Malfoy come on!"

"I'd rather not," Malfoy drawled coldly.

Harry pointed his wand at him in warning. "I was told not to let you out of my sight."

The blond's eyes narrowed intensely and very slowly he came up the stairs, almost threateningly. When he got close, the blond stared at him with a fixed gaze.

"You may have an advantage right now, Potter, but know that it's not going to last forever."

"Right, well until then," Harry said, gesturing for the blond to go first.

Malfoy's cold gaze remained on him for a split second before the blond pushed past him roughly up the stairs. He knocked Harry into the wall and continued without even glancing backward. Harry followed him, clutching his wand tightly in his hand. The blond headed to the bedroom (since the bathroom door was open and it was clear no one was inside). The bedroom door was partially open and Malfoy angrily pushed it open and stepped inside. Then he wheeled around angrily.

"There's no one here, Potter!" Malfoy spat coldly. "You're wasting my time!"

"Look, Malfoy! The Minister wouldn't send us here with a confidential letter if he knew that he wouldn't be home!" Harry snapped, stepping further into the room.

Malfoy sneered at him and crossed his arms, leaning up against the bureau a short distance from the bed (and too close to the door for Harry's comfort).

"Please Potter, spare me your heroic speeches," Malfoy drawled unpleasantly.

"Malfoy if you don't shut yo…," Harry suddenly trailed off as he came to the other side of the bed.

His eyes widened and his heart nearly stopped in his chest. There sprawled on the floor was an elderly wizard. His mouth was parted and his eyes were wide open, staring out lifelessly. Malfoy noticed he was staring down at something with a stunned expression and so the blond approached him and saw the dead body as well. Harry bent down and touched the man's neck to search for a pulse and hissed when his scar burned with pain. Standing up quickly, Harry backed up a couple of steps.

"Voldemort did it," Harry blurted out.

Malfoy jerked his head toward him. "How do you know that, Potter? He could've just died of a heart-attack," he drawled, crossing his arms again.

"No, he couldn't have!" Harry wheeled to face him, not realizing that they were only inches apart. "Don't you see his expression? He was terrified! Not only that but my scar burned when I touched him and…," Harry trailed off again as Malfoy's eyes drifted to his scar.

A sudden thought occurred to him and unexpected Harry lunged at the blond, causing him to stumble backward until his back collided with the wall.

"Potter! Get your hands off me!" Malfoy exclaimed, trying to fight him off.

Harry pointed his wand in Malfoy's face to stop the blond from revolting. "You knew this would happen!"

"Right, like I sabotaged the train too," Malfoy drawled coldly.

"You're working for him aren't you?" Harry shouted in his face.

"What the hell are you on about Potter?" Malfoy spat, glaring at him.

"Voldemort! You're working for him aren't you?" Harry yelled, keeping a firm grip on Malfoy's shirt as he held his wand steady. The blond's eyes narrowed. "I knew you couldn't be trusted! I bet you've been helping him all along! How are you keeping in touch with him if you don't have the Dark Mark?"

"Well since you seem to think you've got everything all figured out then why don't _you_ tell me," Malfoy drawled, keeping their eyes locked together.

For several seconds they both just stared at one another. Finally, Harry slowly put his wand down.

"I don't trust you, Malfoy. Frankly, it's hard for me to believe you don't work for Voldemort. But since you don't have your wand there really isn't much you can do. Right now, we can only go back to the Minister and tell him what happened. You go first."

Malfoy glared at him and reluctantly left the room first so Harry could keep an eye on him. They went back outside and got on the broom, much to both their displeasure, and flew off back toward the Ministry. It took a while and Harry was feeling a tad uncomfortable with Malfoy's body so close to his though he tried to ignore it. At one point, he thought he felt warm breath near the back of his neck but he didn't turn around. Finally, they got back to the Ministry. The second Malfoy got off the broom, Harry summoned rope to bind his arms and legs.

"Potter!" Malfoy snarled.

"I told you I don't trust you! I'm not going to risk you running away and doing something sneaky while I talk to the Minister. You can just stay here and after I talk to him I'll release you."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed harshly. "And what if he's not in his office Potter!"

"I'm sure he's back from the meeting by now," Harry said bluntly.

He turned and walked away, ignoring Malfoy who was cursing at him. He went up to the Minister's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in," a voice answered calmly.

Harry opened the door and stepped inside to see the Minister standing by a bookshelf looking through papers. The Minister turned slowly and his lips curled widely.

"Ah, just who I wanted to see."

"Er, Minister we went on the mission you told us to and it didn't go so well. The wizard you sent us to is dead," Harry said.

The Minister walked toward the desk slowly. Harry watched him and stepped forward a bit. He didn't appear to seem shocked by the news.

"Minister, er…what are you going to do now that he's dead?"

The Minister stared at him and then walked forward a few paces. "I suppose I'll have to change my tactics."

"What do you want me to do with the letter you gave me?"

Reaching out a hand slowly, the Minister smiled. "Let me see it."

Harry dug through his pockets and handed it to him. The Minister opened it and read the contents, though Harry was confused why he was reading his own letter. Finally, he set the letter down on the desk.

"Ah, I see now. How very foolish he was."

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

The Minister left the letter on the desk and stared at him.

"Er, Minister. I'm quite sure that Voldemort was the one to kill him," Harry said.

"Is that so?" The Minister asked quietly, his eyes staring into his intensely.

"Yes," Harry said, feeling his stomach churn uncomfortably.

He was feeling like something was out-of-place, but he wasn't sure what. Perhaps he should go check on Malfoy, maybe that's what was bothering him.

"Er, I should probably go sir, I left Malfoy outside," Harry said, gesturing to the door as he took a few steps toward it.

"I'm not finished with you yet, Potter," the Minister spoke quietly.

Harry turned and stared at him uncertainly. "What more can I do? You said as long as we completed the mission and we did. Oh! The train! There was an accident with the train!"

"I caused it."

"What?" Harry asked, thinking he hadn't heard correctly.

The door suddenly slammed shut and Harry wheeled around, startled. Then he turned back toward the Minister who was holding his wand in that direction. He lowered it and smiled rather coldly at him.

"You…You made the train crash?" Harry asked. "Why? There were innocent passengers on the train!"

"Their lives were expendable," the Minister said, seemingly not caring.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed and his mouth parted in shock. "So…So what the hell was that? Some sort of set-up? Were you sending me on a wild goose-chase? And why would you kill people for no reason?"

The Minister laughed softly, a cold, careless laugh that did not sound like him. "It was a set-up. Your dear Minister was foolish to have thought he could hide anything from me."

Harry's heart abruptly skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

"All I needed was this information that you've helped me retrieve, Potter," the Minister sneered. "I was hoping you would have died in the train crash, but I should have known better. After all the times I've tried to get rid of you and luck has always been on your side."

Harry's throat constricted as he stared at the cold sneer on the Minister's face. "Who are you?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet, Potter? I killed your Minister and have taken on his form. The Minister was foolish to try and hide from me what I wanted. I was planning to use his form to question all of those in the Ministry, but you've given me what I needed. Now I know the location of what I seek," he spoke quietly as his eyes flashed red.

Harry backed away as far as he could not believing that Voldemort was standing right in front of him—that he had been two steps ahead the whole time. Trying to create enough distance between them, Harry reached into his robe for his wand.

"Not this time, boy," Voldemort sneered, summoning Harry's wand to him. "I'm tired of chasing after you and having you miraculously escape me every time. I'm going to kill you without mercy and then no one will continue to say you are my downfall!" he hissed venomously.

Harry dove out of the way of a curse, feeling his heart hammering so loudly in his chest he could scarcely think. Voldemort came closer as he dove behind a chair to avoid another curse.

"Playing hide-and-seek again, Potter?" Voldemort's cold voice echoed nearby, sounding amused.

There was no way he could possibly escape the killing curse without his wand. Perhaps there was no way out this time around. Feeling rather defeated, Harry's head jerked up at the sound of footsteps approaching. Voldemort knew where he was hiding and it would only be seconds before he found him. Just then, Harry remembered a secret door that he had overheard the Minister mention once at an Order meeting months ago. He searched his mind frantically to remember. He knew Voldemort was standing right over the chair, ready to hit him with a curse the second he peered over.

Using his Quidditch instincts, Harry rolled from behind the chair as a bright green light just barely missed him. It hit the trash can instead and Harry jumped up running toward the painting of a famous witch (whose name Harry couldn't remember, nor did he care at the moment). He pushed the witch's ring on her left finger and a passage opened. He heard Voldemort hiss in Parseltongue as he hurled himself inside. Another curse just barely missed him and he knew Voldemort would be right behind him.

Harry ran through the passage and realized that it wasn't just one passage, but there were many passages that extended off of it. Harry wasn't sure which way to go and took random turns. It felt like a maze, similar to the one he endured during the Triwizard Tournament (although he didn't have Voldemort chasing after him). Harry halted at a dead end and wondered if he should turn around and try a different path. Feeling frightened that he might run head-on into Voldemort, Harry backed into the corner, praying that perhaps if he hid there Voldemort wouldn't find him or at least would end up taking a different path.

"This is stupid! I can't hide from him! It's like trying to hide bad memories from a Dementor," Harry murmured quietly.

He heard something and jumped suddenly. There was an echo close by. Stumbling backward, Harry pressed up against the side wall and as his body went up against it, his fingers touched the cold stone. There was something smooth against his fingertips, but Harry didn't have time to examine it for the wall he was pressed up against moved and Harry fell backward. The wall closed behind him and Harry whirled around to see where he ended up. He was in a wide room with a pillared-ceiling. The floor was some sort of transparent black glass, perhaps Obsidian, Harry wasn't sure. There were carvings in the walls on all sides of him and Harry ran around the strange room searching for an exit. There didn't appear to be one. There were two tall obelisks on either side of the room and at the wall located at the opposite end of where he came out of the passage there was a strange oval-shaped carving in it.

Harry approached the center, wondering if perhaps there was another secret passage that led out of the room. He certainly couldn't go back and Voldemort would find him soon. Harry examined the pillars first finding no similar carvings. When he went up to the front of the room he saw the oval-shaped carving and he traced it gently. Nothing happened even when he tried to push on it. Growing impatient and more fearful, Harry wheeled around and suddenly caught sight of something on the floor. If he stood at a particular angle he could see something glimmer beneath the transparent black material. Moving sideways, he watched as a symbol shone beneath it. Glancing up at the ceiling, Harry could just barely make out a similar symbol up on top. Curiously, Harry walked to the place where the symbol shone beneath the floor and he stepped on it. Suddenly, one of the pillars moved a bit.

He couldn't believe it. It was a puzzle—some sort of secret passage mechanism most likely. If only Hermione was there she could figure it out quickly. Harry wasn't sure if he could even figure out what he was supposed to do. Ten minutes passed as he tried to figure out how to move both obelisks and what that might do. He managed to get both obelisks the same distance apart from one another directly perpendicular to the symbol on top of the ceiling (so that below on the floor the pillars were aligned so glancing upward the symbol on the ceiling was between them). Harry made his way back toward the center of the room where the symbol beneath the black floor was only he never reached it. He was suddenly flown backward with such force that he knew he had at least fractured a bone.

Gripping his sore shoulder, Harry forced himself up only to find himself back on the floor screaming in pain. Once the Cruciatus curse was lifted, Harry remained on the floor breathing heavily as footsteps neared. Turning his head, Harry saw Voldemort approaching him slowly with his wand pointed at him.

"You won't escape me," he hissed coldly. "My Death Eaters may have failed me in not letting you escape before, but now you are in my clutches and defenseless. Too long you have irked me Potter. Now you will die."

The Minister's form began altering as pale, bony flesh took over and soon deep crimson eyes were staring at him with a hunger that sent a shiver throughout his body. Voldemort now appeared in his regular form and he was only ten or so feet away.

"You were lucky to have lasted this long," Voldemort hissed, sneering coldly as he stepped closer.

Harry lifted himself up but Voldemort waved his wand and his back collided with the floor. He groaned in pain and he turned to see Voldemort drawing nearer to him. A few more feet and he knew his scar would erupt in pain. Harry's eyes suddenly latched onto where Voldemort was headed. He was walking right toward the place where the symbol lay beneath the floor, in between the two obelisks. Voldemort apparently took no notice of the obelisks as he came closer.

"Wait," Harry blurted out as Voldemort stepped on the exact area. "I want to die bravely like my parents."

Voldemort lips curled into a wider sneer and his eyes flashed victoriously. "Perhaps you aren't as foolish as your parents were. Yes, they died bravely…your mother was foolish, she could've lived, but your father fought well. And now it is time you join them."

Slowly, Harry got up. Voldemort watched him closely, sneering mercilessly, as he stood up completely. Using Occulmency, Harry made sure Voldemort couldn't detect what he was really planning. Stepping forward a bit, Harry tried to act as though he was walking bravely to his death. While he wasn't sure his plan would work, he certainly wasn't about to die without giving it a shot. If that failed, he'd have to accept death but at least he'd have tried his best. Voldemort aimed his wand at Harry's heart, staring at him both hungrily and pleasurably, a look that showed he was thinking that not only would he kill Harry but after Voldemort could tell the whole world Harry Potter surrendered to him, which would make it easier for him to finally conquer.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort hissed pleasurably, his eyes glinting madly as the green light erupted from his wand.

Harry waited just long enough for the curse to be right in front of him and suddenly he dashed out of the way and ran toward the far wall.

Voldemort hissed with disappointment and suddenly he unleashed a cold laugh which echoed in the room. "Don't you want to die bravely, Potter? There is no where to run!"

Harry ran to the wall and reached for the symbol on it. To his utter shock, the oval-shaped carving sunk into the wall. A cry of fury caused Harry to wheel around. His eyes widened as he saw that the symbol beneath Voldemort was illuminating through the floor. Voldemort had the most horrific expression on his face and Harry knew the Dark Lord wanted to tear him limb-from-limb. And Harry noticed that Voldemort wasn't charging at him. While the light didn't seem to harm him, it apparently kept him in place.

"_NO_!" Voldemort hissed in Parseltongue, pointing his wand at him.

Harry backed up against the wall as the killing curse headed his way once again. In a matter of seconds, however, a pillar of light erupted from the floor beneath, canceling out the curse to Voldemort's fury. The light reached up to the symbol on the ceiling and suddenly spread out toward the two obelisks as well. Voldemort was clouded in light and he was hissing loudly, his crimson eyes glowing with such anger and hatred that Harry was frozen in place. He watched with both shock and horror as the light surrounded Voldemort on all sides. He could hear the Dark Lord's inhuman hiss but was blinded as an explosion occurred seconds later. Harry was thrown backward and he hit his head hard on the wall behind and he lost consciousness.

**XXXXX**

A white-tiled ceiling came into view. Blinking deliriously, Harry groaned as he tried to lift his head. Progressively, the room began to stop spinning and the harsh throbbing in his head began to dull. Something cold trickled down his cheek and Harry turned his head to see someone standing beside him. An older woman dressed in a long white robe was bending over him with her wand.

"W-where am I?" Harry asked, hardly audible. His throat was dry and his voice was raspy.

"Ah good you're awake finally," she smiled. "You are in St. Mungo's."

"What?" Harry questioned, wincing as his head pounded. "How did I get here?"

"Now, now, open up," she said, uncorking a potion. "All questions can be answered later. Right now I need to see if you're well enough to go home."

Harry opened his mouth slowly and the bitter liquid trickled down his throat. Coughing, Harry blinked several times after he had swallowed. The nurse seemed satisfied and began helping him sit up.

"That was one bad concussion, but you're a fast healer. That potion should help any swelling in the crania so you should be alright to leave. Just let me see if the lump has gone down."

She put her hands on the back of his head and felt around. Harry hissed as she pressed on a tender spot.

"Well, it's still got to heal, but it's not as bad. Can you stand?"

Harry slowly moved by himself and slid off the bed. He was a little unstable at first, but he managed to steady himself.

"Good. Now try walking," she said.

Harry did as he was told. His legs felt stiff, but as he walked the feeling subsided. In fact, he was feeling less nauseous already.

"Good, good. Alright, you can sit back down if you'd like. It looks like you're doing just fine, but if there are any complications you should come back here immediately. I'll go fill out discharge papers. Oh, and the Headmistress informed me that when you're well enough to return, she'd like to see you."

She smiled at him and then left the room. Harry rubbed his head, trying to figure out how he had ended up there. Suddenly, his head jerked up a little too fast. He groaned in pain as a slight throb hit him, but he was aware of the reason. His memories were a bit scattered, but he remembered being with Malfoy and then there was Voldemort and then…then the bright light that forced his whole body backward, which was probably why he had the concussion.

Voldemort…what had happened? Had Harry survived yet another encounter? What had the light done? So many questions wound through his head and only got worse as he was released from St. Mungo's. He had an escort fly him in a _St. Mungo's Patient Helper_ (in other words a flying car with the ST. MUNGO'S logo flashing on it) to Hogwarts. Once he was released, he made his way toward McGonagall's office. Raping lightly on the door, he then stepped inside when it opened by itself.

"Mr. Potter," McGonagall greeted, taking off her spectacles as she stood up from behind her desk. "I'm glad to see you're doing better. We weren't expecting you to be well enough for another couple of days."

"Er, I'm fine," Harry said awkwardly.

"Please, have a seat," she gestured.

Harry did as he was told, trying not to show his impatience. Headmistress McGonagall sat back down and stared at him seriously.

"Harry, the Ministry has informed me that they wish to hold the ceremony tomorrow. Since you've missed several classes, instead of gathering up the homework for you to complete you've been excused from those assignments."

Shifting in his seat, Harry gazed at her in confusion. "Er, professor what ceremony?"

McGonagall blinked, looking surprised. "Do you not remember?"

"What?" Harry asked, leaning forward.

Folding her hands neatly, she gave him a rare, genuine smile. "Harry, the Ministry, and all of us, have good reason to believe that you've defeated Voldemort."

"You mean he retreated again?" Harry asked, feeling his stomach flip.

"No, Harry," her smile widened. "We have reason to believe he's been defeated indefinitely."

Seconds passed by and Harry just stared at her, dumbfounded. "He…he's really…," Harry trailed off, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. "He's not coming back?"

"The likelihood is very slim. In fact, we don't really know what happened to him, exactly. All that was left was his wand and a scorch mark on the floor," she explained.

"But…what was that room? How did he get defeated? Is he actually dead or—"

"Potter, calm down," McGonagall said. "Here."

She summoned some tea for him and he managed to calm his breathing. He hadn't even realized he had been breathing erratically. His hands were a bit shaky as he picked up the tea cup. It was too hard to believe that Voldemort was gone for good. After all the years of suffering and fearing that the next day would be his last, it was finally over?

"In answer to your first question," she continued, once Harry had calmed down, "that room has been sealed off for years. The Ministry has always left it alone because no one knows exactly what that room is or for what purpose it was built. There have been many wizards and witches, including Dumbledore and myself back before you were born, who have examined that room to figure out its purpose, but the only conclusion that ever came out of it was that Dumbledore discovered a strange marking on the wall. He had to use several charms to make it visible and he assumed it was some sort of portal."

"Portal?" Harry asked.

"Yes. He said it was an ancient symbol—a very ancient symbol—from even before Merlin's time. Not much is known about the language back then because there is hardly any written documentation but that symbol, studied over the years, has been interpreted as a symbol of power, much like the symbol on the legendary sword of Excalibur. Now whether or not Merlin knew anything about this room or more to the symbol and the power it contains is unknown. Nothing about it has been documented, but it has been seen once before in the legend of Excalibur, or at least something similar."

"So…what does the Ministry think happened to Voldemort?" Harry asked, still feeling as though he was in some sort of alternate universe, or a dream even.

"They believe that he could've been sent to a parallel dimension, which goes along with Dumbledore's theory of the portal, or his body was completely disintegrated. Either way, the likelihood of him returning is very low."

"I just…it's hard to imagine that it's over. I mean, what if he's not dead?" Harry asked, glancing up at her. "If no one knows the purpose of the room then maybe it didn't really kill him."

"Maybe not, but wherever it transported him or whatever it did to him, I doubt he'd be able to find a way back," McGonagall said. "Of course the Ministry will keep its eyes peeled in case, out of some chance, he does return, but until then Harry you have a lot less burden on your shoulders. Now you can at least concentrate on your studies a lot more," she said, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

Nodding dumbly, Harry slowly set his tea cup down. "Oh! What about Malfoy?"

"There's no need to worry about him. He was found and unbound."

"What's going to happen to him? I mean, there's a chance he was working with Voldemort in order to free his parents, maybe even all the Death Ea—"

"Harry," McGonagall shook her head, interrupting him. "The Death Eaters that were captured and sent to Azkaban, quite a number including Malfoy's parents, have been executed."

Harry stared at her, wondering if perhaps there had been a mistake. Malfoy's parents had been executed? They were dead. That meant…

"So, um…what's going to happen to him?" Harry asked.

Sighing, McGonagall stood up. "He's going to continue working for the Ministry to earn back his wand and then he will return here to Hogwarts to finish up his studies."

"Wait, he's coming back here?" Harry asked incredulously, sitting forward in the chair.

McGonagall gave him a warning glance. "Yes and while I'm very grateful you are alive and well and have, in a sense, saved the world, I advise you not to get into trouble with Mr. Malfoy. Being the savior of the world does not exclude you from expulsion should things get out of hand. Of course, quite a lot would have to happen for that, but detentions don't look good on your school record either. And I trust you'll want a good record for whatever career you choose after," she said, giving him a small smile. "Now, why don't you go down and enjoy some dinner with your friends."

"Er, yeah. Professor, what is the ceremony for?"

"The Ministry ceremony?" she questioned and Harry nodded. "It's for you, Harry. It's a celebration for your defeat of Lord Voldemort and it'll take place in the Ministry tomorrow afternoon. Is there anything else?"

"Er…what about the Minister?" Harry asked uncertainly.

McGonagall's expression turned grave. "He's vanished without a trace. And he hasn't been seen for several days since he never showed up for the meeting."

"Professor, Voldemort said he killed him. That's how he was able to look like the Minister to trick me at first," Harry said.

McGonagall's face paled and then she nodded slowly. "It's as I feared then. I'll have to inform the Ministry right away. That explains how he got inside the Ministry in the first place," she added quietly. "Thank you for informing me. Go enjoy your dinner now."

Harry nodded silently in thanks and left the office. So many thoughts and feelings were whirling through his mind. Voldemort was dead…he was really dead. And Malfoy's parents…they were dead, two of Voldemort's closest followers. That meant Bella Lestrange and her husband were dead. Wormtail hadn't been captured. He was probably living in some deserted land as a rat and most likely would for the rest of his life, especially if Voldemort really never returned. It was all too surreal. Harry could, for once in his life, concentrate on studies like everyone else without worrying about getting captured by Death Eaters or Voldemort slipping into his mind during his sleep. And he didn't have to keep looking over his shoulder day in and day out. He could even start back up with Quidditch. Perhaps they'd still allow him to be captain, but if not just being able to have the free time to practice was something Harry didn't think would ever happen. And he had survived. He had survived through it all and didn't end up like his parents. So many people thought he'd die and he didn't. He could actually graduate from Hogwarts and then start a career.

Now the only problem was Malfoy. If he came back to Hogwarts, he'd most likely try and make Harry's life as hellish as possible, especially now that his parents had been executed. Even if Malfoy hadn't been working for Voldemort, he'd still want revenge against Harry for his parents and for being a hero all over again. And probably once Malfoy was back at Hogwarts other Slytherin families would follow. Already the number of Slytherins in the school was so low because many Slytherin families who had been loyal to Voldemort had gone into hiding. Even remaining Death Eaters that hadn't been captured.

Harry walked into the Great Hall and cheers and chatter erupted all around him. All eyes were on him and he knew he was going to be bombarded by questions. He managed to hurry over to where Ron and Hermione were seated, with others like Neville, Dean, Seamus, Luna and Ginny.

"Oh Harry! You're alright!" Hermione exclaimed, sniffling as tears came to her eyes.

"Yeah," Harry murmured as he sat down and began filling his plate.

"You're a hero mate!" Dean exclaimed, smiling widely.

Harry raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Just what I need. More people staring at my forehead like it's a third eye."

He glanced up to see Ginny staring at him. She gave him a small smile and then went back to conversing with Owen Cauldwell, the boy Harry had seen her with last time.

"That's her boyfriend," Ron said, having seen the direction Harry glanced in.

Harry smiled. "Good for her."

After dinner, Harry managed to avoid most questioning glances as he slipped out with his friends. Once safely in the common room Harry slumped into a chair as Ron and Hermione came to sit near him. Others were in the common room, but they were doing their own thing so the three of them could talk.

"Harry, why do you look so down? You should be happy the Dark Age is over!" Hermione said, tilting her head.

"I am, I mean…it'll just take time to adjust to, you know? I can't just wake up one day and think that Voldemort's not ever going to come after me again, not after everything. And plus, I just found out Malfoy's coming back here."

Ron spluttered in outrage. "What? He's coming _here_? Why the bloody hell would they allow him to come back?"

"I guess once he does enough community service," Harry shrugged.

"Come on, you two, he couldn't possibly be that much trouble. The war is over, Voldemort is gone and there aren't as many Slytherins. There's not much he could do, even if he wanted to do something," Hermione explained rationally.

"Just seeing his face is enough! He can still be a nuisance," Ron grumbled angrily.

"I don't know. I just don't trust him," Harry said quietly. "I mean, he was snooping in the Ministry library and I still haven't found out why."

"Harry, stop digging for trouble. For once in your life you can be free of it," Hermione said, leaning forward to pat his hand. "Not to mention his parents are no longer alive either so it's not like he has any motivation to try and continue the Dark Arts with his family's influence."

"Good riddance," Ron said bluntly.

Hermione gave him a glare and then turned back to Harry. "Look Harry, it's fine with me if you don't want to take my advice, but if all you've ever wanted in your life is to focus on normal things and not have to worry about death or getting into trouble then I suggest you just leave Malfoy alone. He may never be trustworthy but he's basically harmless now."

Harry shrugged, not able to completely agree with that. "Er, just so you both know I guess there's a ceremony going on at the Ministry tomorrow so I won't be around."

"Lucky," Ron muttered.

"Oh yes, I heard about that," Hermione said, smiling. "I'm sure it'll be fun. You're being recognized for what you've done."

"Yeah, I guess," Harry said uncomfortably. "So, how will they decide who's going to be the next Minister?"

"I imagine they'll hold elections as usual," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"My dad could try again," Ron perked up.

Harry gave him a small smile and nodded. "Yeah. I just hope it's someone who's better than Fudge and Scrimageour."

"Well, they'll have an easier time since the war is over anyway," Hermione said. "Well, I'm off to bed. Goodnight."

"Night," Harry said.

Ron gave her a small wave as she disappeared up the stairs. "So Malfoy's really coming back here? When?"

"I'm not sure. Just whenever he earns enough, I guess."

"Hopefully that's after we graduate," Ron said.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "I think I'm going to go to bed too. You coming?"

"Nah, I'm going to play some Wizard Chess with Seamus," Ron grinned, obviously looking forward to defeating yet another opponent.

Nodding, Harry then made his way up to the dorm and slumped down on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling trying to fathom the fact that Voldemort could really be destroyed for good. And most of his Death Eaters as well. Perhaps Hermione was right that he shouldn't try and figure out if Malfoy was planning anything. After all, what would he be planning and for whom? If his parents and Voldemort were destroyed then he had no reason to plan anything.

Still, there was something nagging him in the back of his mind. The letter that the Minister gave him that was confidential. Harry didn't even know what it was that Voldemort was after and that was bothering him a great deal. What if Malfoy knew something he didn't—like what Voldemort was after? Harry slipped under the covers. He would only pry as far as he needed, but he had to know if Malfoy knew something no one else did. After all, with the Minister dead and the wizard at the house, there was no way to figure out what Voldemort had wanted unless Malfoy _did_ have an idea. If Malfoy did come to Hogwarts, Harry would make sure to follow Malfoy if he ever went anywhere alone. And perhaps Malfoy, being since he worked at the Ministry still, would be at the ceremony the next day. If so, Harry would definitely see if he could get anything out of him.

Suddenly, Harry jerked up in bed. The letter! The confidential letter that the Minister had written was probably still on the desk in his office. Voldemort had read it and set it down there and thankfully hadn't destroyed it. He had probably been too busy piecing together the last bit of information he needed and how to kill Harry and didn't think of destroying the last bit of evidence. Since Harry would be at the Ministry the next day he could sneak upstairs and retrieve it. Maybe then the missing pieces would fall together. Feeling a bit more at ease, Harry lay back down and closed his eyes.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

**Thank you everyone! I will try and update consistently! School and work takes up a lot of time, but I will update asap! **


	5. Kissing the Enemy

**Pure Rhapsody**

**Chapter 4: Kissing the Enemy**

Harry got up early the next morning and took a trip to Hogsmeade to buy a new outfit for the ceremony. He wanted to dress up a little to show he was at least semi-grateful they were throwing him a celebration. He chose nice-fitting black pants and a dark-green, cotton long-sleeved shirt. As he headed to the Ministry, his thoughts were on Draco Malfoy. He was wondering if the blond would be there and if so how to confront him. The last time he had confronted the blond at the dead wizard's house, Malfoy had given nothing away to indicate that he was, or wasn't, working for Voldemort. And Harry was determined, almost to the point of obsessed, to find out which one it was.

The lobby was full of wizards and witches, only those working or somehow directly connected to the Ministry. Part of him felt relived that Scrimageour wouldn't be there to try and steal all the credit once again, or force him to participate in one of his schemes. He knew it probably wasn't the best to be glad the former Minister was dead, but he couldn't help feeling a little more at ease.

"Harry!"

Turning to the sound of the ecstatic voice, Harry saw Mr. Weasley stumbling through the crowd to get to him. Smiling, Harry approached him and the older man patted his shoulder.

"I knew you'd pull through this war," he smiled genuinely. "How does it feel?"

"Good, although I know peace isn't here yet," Harry said.

Mr. Weasley just cocked his head and smiled. "Don't worry, it will come in time."

"Er, has there been any news, you know, about Percy?" Harry asked uncomfortably.

Instantly, Mr. Weasley's face paled and he cleared his throat. "Not yet, but I'm sure now that You-Know-Who has finally been defeated he'll send word about his whereabouts."

Harry nodded inwardly cursing that he had brought up a very tender subject. He tried to ignore the feeling of doubt concerning Percy.

"How's Ron doing?" he asked.

"Er, fine," Harry said, finding it hard to keep the conversation going. "He's been keeping up with his studies."

It wasn't the whole truth, but it was all Harry could think to say. Mr. Weasley smiled and nodded as if he hadn't doubted it at all.

"Of course he has! What with wanting to be a famous Quidditch player and all, he must keep up with his studies. They don't recruit people just based on excellent flying techniques, but also having decent grades nowadays. Why, back in my day they wouldn't care if you couldn't spell Quidditch just as long as you could play," Mr. Weasley explained, beaming proudly.

Trying to hide his surprise, Harry shifted awkwardly. "Er, Ron wants to be a famous Quidditch player?"

"He didn't tell you?" Mr. Weasley asked, perplexed. "Well, I'm sure with all his studies and what with you gone so often to help the Ministry he probably just forgot."

Harry nodded, although he highly doubted that. He didn't know why it bothered him so much that Ron didn't tell him, but he just assumed that being best friends meant that there were no secrets between them. He wondered if Hermione knew.

"Well, Harry," Mr. Weasley patted his arm again, "I'm off to chat some more. I need to have a word with Moody."

Giving him a small smile, Harry watched him walk away. He glanced around, noticing that most everyone was caught up in conversations or browsing the buffet tables. He was very grateful that no one came rushing up to shake his hand and look at his forehead as if he had some unusual growth sprouting there. If Scrimageour had been alive, he'd most likely force Harry to give a speech, but this was a celebration of the defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort and the end of the Dark Age, not so much for Harry, which he was also grateful for. Besides being stopped by a couple of elderly witches who congratulated him on being brave and defeating Voldemort (though Harry got the impression they were just awed he had survived), Harry found it easy to slip out of the lobby and head toward the Minister's office.

The office was unlocked so Harry slipped inside quietly. Glancing around, he noticed it was left just as it was when Voldemort had been there. And the letter was still sitting idly on the desk. His breathing was harsh and his pulse increased as he approached it. He wasn't sure what was inside, but if Voldemort claimed it was the missing piece to whatever he was after, Harry was certain it would answer a lot of his questions. He took a deep breath before opening it.

_Caelan,_

_I have finally figured it out! Using the resources from that old journal, I have figured out the location of the Ice Scale! It should be at the bottom of the Pond of Desires! I'm sure of it, this time! I know we've been searching—hell, others over the past hundreds of years have spent years searching for it as well—for a long time, but I feel certain about this! There are no other records that come close to discovering its whereabouts and very few know the location of the Pond. We must hurry, however. This knowledge is beyond dangerous. You know, as well as I, that if the Scale falls into the wrong hands (you know of whom I speak) we're all doomed. Please meet me in the place where the very first Order meeting took place during the first War. And hurry!_

_R.S._

Harry re-read it at least three times, trying to understand the hidden meaning. It revolved around something called the Ice Scale. Perhaps that was what Voldemort was seeking, but what it was Harry had no clue. The letter wasn't as helpful as Harry thought it would be. Slipping it into his robe, he decided he'd have to try and research anything he could about the Scale. Perhaps he would find something useful in the Ministry library. For the time being, however, he didn't want anyone to get suspicious over his disappearance so he went back to the lobby.

There were more people now and Harry could see Mr. Weasley and Moody conversing by one of the buffet tables. He was about to head to one when a House Elf suddenly appeared in front of him floating a tray of fancy-wine glasses filled with Champagne.

"Harry Potter, sir, would you care for a drink?" the House Elf squeaked.

"Er, no thanks, I'm underage," Harry said.

The House Elf just smiled, bowed and then turned to approach other guests.

"How typical of a Gryffindor," a voice drawled coldly.

Harry whipped around to his left to see Malfoy leaning against the nearest wall, sneering at him. He was wearing tight, dark-blue jeans and a very thin light blue, silk V-neck shirt that at certain angles appeared almost see-through. The blond's longer bangs flowed delicately on either side of his face, ghosting over his narrowed silver-blue eyes that trailed up and down Harry's body examining his attire.

"I didn't realize they invited you," Harry said firmly with a hint of distaste.

Malfoy sneered and then brought his arms up. That's when Harry noticed the glass of champagne in his hand. The blond instantly brought the glass to his lips and downed the rest of it. Once it was gone, Malfoy help the glass between his fingers before he snapped his fingers. A House Elf popped over and Malfoy placed the empty glass on top of the tray.

"Too afraid to drink, Potter?" Malfoy drawled, crossing his arms smugly over his chest.

"No," Harry said, though he knew that was a lie since he had never drank before. "I'm not stupid enough to drink illegally in front of Ministry members."

Malfoy snorted, pushing himself off the wall. "Right, Potter. Do you see anyone binding me in chains for drinking? They don't even care. They're too preoccupied in celebrating their freedom and the fact that they don't all have to dig a hole in the ground to hide."

Harry's eyes narrowed, though he couldn't deny the truth in that. "Look, Malfoy, I'm not in the mood to put up with you. Don't make me hex you."

The blond stood up straight and slowly stalked up to him until they were less than a foot apart. Malfoy uncrossed his arms, smirking widely. Harry watched as the blond pulled something out of his back pocket.

"Really, Potter? Well, I think the tables aren't solely in your favor anymore," Malfoy's lips curled into an amused grin as he held his wand in front of Harry's face.

"They gave you your wand back?" Harry asked, disbelieving.

The blond smirked smugly and stuck it back in his pocket. "That's right, Potter. This time I can challenge you back. Of course, the last time even without my wand you didn't fare too well against me."

The blond's breath wisped across his face and Harry could tell Malfoy had had more than one glass of champagne. Harry's eyes narrowed at the reference and he gripped his own wand tightly.

"Malfoy, why don't you got shove your precious wand up your arse and leave me the hell alone!" Harry spat coolly.

The blond just sneered. "Scared Potter? You should be."

Harry ignored the comment when he suddenly remembered something. "So, if you got your wand back I guess they'll allow you back at Hogwarts then."

Malfoy snorted and crossed his arms. "Please, like I'd go back there to that pathetic school."

Bewildered, Harry tried not to show his surprise. "Oh really? And what other place would allow you in knowing your reputation?"

The blond smirked widely and Harry knew he wasn't going to enjoy the response. "You see, Potter, while Hogwarts was considered the primary school to go to, since it separates the better wizards from the others, my parents wanted me to go to it instead of sending me to some overly expensive private school. But now that there are scarcely any Slytherins there and I can choose wherever I want to go, I'm having my academic records magically Owled to a more superior school."

"And what school would that be?" Harry asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Malfoy drawled in mockery.

"Look, Malfoy, I think I know what's going on," Harry said smugly, crossing his arms similarly to how Malfoy had his. "I think that just because you're an orphan now, so your parents can't keep paying your way since you have to pay yourself and I'm sure you don't want your precious fortune to run out, you're choosing to go to another school pretending it's better than Hogwarts. You're also probably just scared of being one of the few Slytherins back at Hogwarts because you know a lot of students from the other houses are going to treat you badly because of your reputation and because you and your family aided Voldemort. You're just afraid to be teased, insulted, hexed…basically you're afraid of being treated the same way that you treated the other houses, especially me, over the years."

"Please Potter!" Malfoy spat. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm not afraid of anyone!"

"Right," Harry said disbelieving. "Now that you can't threaten to run to your daddy to tell on them?"

Malfoy scowled darkly and suddenly lunged forward, pushing Harry backward passed a table and into a corner wall. The attack was unexpected since they were in the middle of a celebration so Harry couldn't stop him from slamming him harshly against the wall. While Harry tried to kick him away, Malfoy pushed his body close up against his so Harry was unable to move. The closeness of the blond's body up against his caused Harry to tense up unexpectedly. He was suddenly very uncomfortable.

"Listen up Potter!" Malfoy spat, his champagne breath ghosting across Harry's face as he leaned toward him. "If you make fun of my parents' death one more time I'm going to hex your cock off!"

Harry winced noting that it sounded rather painful, but he glared harshly at him. "Yeah, well now you know how it feels! What, don't you remember telling me all the time that I'd end up like my parents?"

"Do you think I care, Potter?" Malfoy seethed, bringing his face even closer until they were inches apart.

"Malfoy, let go!" Harry spat, trying to get the blond to put a little distance between them.

"Shut-up and listen, Potter!" Malfoy snarled, pushing him back against the wall and using his body to lean against Harry so he couldn't move. Harry's legs were trapped beneath Draco's as the blond kept his weight pushed firmly against him. The blond's chest was practically against him as well and Harry suddenly felt very hot and uncomfortable. The strong mix of champagne and cologne intoxicated his senses and he realized that their noses were mere centimeters apart. "I don't care what your stupid friends say about me or what anyone says! And I don't plan on going back to that school because I have better things to do with my life!"

"So you're going to go to a new school only half a year before graduation?" Harry quipped, staring at him harshly.

"So what if I am? What I do with my life is _not_ your business, Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed, breathing harshly in his face.

"Yeah, well how come I heard you were planning to return to Hogwarts then? Did you just suddenly change your plans because you realized you wouldn't be so popular and worshipped when you came back?" Harry retorted.

Malfoy pushed against him even closer until their breaths were mingling together. Harry's stomach was churning with an unusual sensation and he subconsciously licked his lips. He stared into Malfoy's cold, intense eyes with uncertainty.

"Whatever your heard Potter was probably from the Minister, seeing as how I had to convince him that I was _dying_ to return to Hogwarts and complete my education and that I would do _anything_ to get a second chance at life," Malfoy drawled overdramatically as Harry's eyes narrowed.

"It was all to convince him to go easy on me. He probably told ol' McGonagall that I desperately wanted to come back to that _wonderful_ school and finish my education, but the truth is Potter that in just two weeks I'll be free of any community service that I owe to them and I can go anywhere I want and do whatever I please. I am completely in control of whatever assets and money my parents left behind, plus my own inheritance that has been saved up for me so I'm wealthy, I have excellent grades and I'm in complete control of my life. And once I'm completely free of having to kiss the Ministry's ass I'll go to the more _prestigious_ school I want to complete my education and through their _superior_ program I will already have an advantage to get enrolled into the career of my choice and start making _even_ _more_ money."

Sneering smugly, Malfoy finally pulled away releasing his hold on him. "So you see, Potter, I'm completely set for life."

"Oh really? What, are you planning to open your very own Dark Arts shop?" Harry countered, not being able to find any other come-back.

The blond's eyes narrowed and he glared. "If you're insinuating that I'm going to pick up where my parents left off, well you can think whatever you like," he sneered. "My life is none of your business, Potter. And while you graduate from the mediocre school with relatively poor grades and scarcely any talent, and continue to kiss the Ministry's ass the rest of your life working as an Auror trying to keep up that hero-image everyone seems to _mistakenly_ associate you with, I'll be making more money than you can imagine with both talent and good-looks."

"I have plenty of talent!" Harry exclaimed defensively.

Malfoy's smirk widened. "The ability to get yourself into trouble by just climbing out of bed is not a talent. Sorry to break it to you Potter."

"Oh really? And is this _superior_ school accepting you because most of the students' talents revolve around having the ability to be as heartless as a flesh-eating beetle? Because that's not a talent either."

"Trust me Potter, your mudblood Granger would even be impressed by this school's reputation. And someone like you would never qualify."

"Well if that's true then how come you won't tell me the name of it? What, did you make it up?" Harry countered.

Malfoy crossed his arms and sneered. "Very well, Potter. I'll tell you the name of it, only because I'm beyond positive that someone with as little talent as you and even less ability to get good grades could never get in, even with your _fame_. It's called the Embervale Academy."

Harry shrugged. "I've never heard of it."  
"You've never heard of more than half the things around, Potter," Malfoy drawled, his tone mocking.

"Look, just because it's a private school doesn't mean it's superior to Hogwarts," Harry said, feeling the urge to defend the school that taught him enough to survive and desperately trying to win the argument. "Beauxbatons is a private school too and it doesn't have several of the benefits that Hogwarts does."

"Beauxbatons is a pathetic excuse for a private school and this academy is much more than a private school. If you knew anything about this world more than the fact that everyone has wands, you might know that. The truth is that I don't care if you know how difficult it is to get into this school or even the talent and money that's required because I'm going to end up earning fame while your pathetic fame dwindles once people get over that you're The-Boy-Who-Lived. I'm going to get everything I want in life and all you're going to do is end up like Mad-Eye Moody, alone, crazy, talentless and all you'll have to remember your fame is that lame scar."

By the time Malfoy was finally finished insulting him, Harry was nearly trembling with rage. Malfoy most likely noticed this for he decided that he was finished arguing back-and-forth. Sneering, the blond raised an eyebrow at him and then turned quickly on his heel and walked out of the lobby looking very satisfied. Harry glared after him, angry that he hadn't had the last word and determined to research this apparently wonderful academy.

"Harry Potter sir," a voice squeaked.

Harry's head jerked downward and he saw a House-Elf staring up at him with big, curious eyes.

"Would you like a drink?" the Elf smiled toothily, holding up a tray.

Taking in a breath, Harry nodded and picked up a glass. "Definitely."

The House-Elf, looking satisfied, smiled and headed away probably to find others without drinks. Harry slumped up against the wall where Malfoy had pinned him and took a large gulp of the champagne. The day had not gone as planned. He still hadn't figured out what Voldemort had wanted, or if Malfoy had been trying to help him out or even if Malfoy had agendas of his own, especially now that he would be completely free from the eye of the Ministry in two weeks. Not only that, but Malfoy would be attending some other school, probably far away where Harry couldn't even try to follow him and keep an eye on him.

After staying a while longer at the party, and being annoyingly questioned by some more Ministry members (who kept asking if he was going to become an auror), Harry left. He was relieved when he found the Gryffindor common room empty. It was still early and everyone was most likely still in afternoon classes. Reluctantly, Harry trudged up to the dorm room to get his school books and then headed for the library to catch up on some work. He sat down and began diligently working on a couple essays. However, after about forty minutes of writing and researching, he found his thoughts straying back to Malfoy. The blond would be attending some other school and for some reason Harry found it disconcerting. With Malfoy so far away, there was no way to keep him from doing things he shouldn't.

"Harry?"

Gazing upward, Harry found Hermione walking toward him with a bunch of books in her arms.

"Hey Hermione," Harry said, resisting a yawn.

"You're back already? I thought the celebration would last till early this evening," she said, sitting down across from him.

Harry shrugged. "I got bored."

Hermione raised an eyebrow but didn't question.

"Say Hermione, have you heard of the Embervale Academy?" Harry questioned.

"Oh yes! It's one of the most prestigious and well-known academy in New Zealand. Actually, many years ago during our grandparents' childhoods," Hermione began, folding her hands excitedly in front of her, "it was called the Merlin Academy and it was one of the biggest and most popular academies! Everyone wanted to get into it, but of course only the elites could—meaning those with both money and academic excellence. Of course there were exceptions, but the school could only fit about five hundred students. Anyway, during the first War when Voldemort came to be, it was destroyed by a Death Eater raid. I mean, there were Slytherins and Death Eaters revolting and causing chaos all around the world in response to Voldemort's rise of power. I mean, there hadn't been a Dark Lord since Salazar Slytherin's time and even _he_ wasn't that big of a deal.

"Anyway, long story short," she smiled as Harry raised an eyebrow, "it was re-built sometime during the time when our parents were teenagers or something and its name was changed to Embervale, after the new, rich Headmistress who rebuilt it better than before! She still runs it to my knowledge. And it now accepts about a thousand students, but honestly that's not a lot if you think about how many students around the world would love to attend it."

"If that's true, how come I've never heard anyone talk about it?" Harry quipped, not wanting to believe that what Malfoy had said was true.

"Well, I doubt anyone here would really talk about it. I mean, because they're here. Well, that's not true I suppose. Many students want to go there after they graduate but they have an even more limited section in that school for graduated students. But they have wonderful career programs and I heard they have a gorgeous campus—huge too! The likelihood of getting into it very small though, unless you have contacts or something."

Harry's eyes narrowed knowing that Malfoy probably _did_ have contacts to help him get into such a profound school.

"Why do you ask Harry?" Hermione questioned curiously.

Sighing, Harry rested his cheek on his hand. "Don't get mad at me, Hermione, but it's about Malfoy."

She blinked and her eyebrows furrowed together. "What about him?"

"He said he's planning on finishing his schooling over there instead of coming here."

"That's great! Now you and Ron won't be complaining all the time about him and getting into unnecessary trouble," Hermione said.

"I guess, but, if you say this school is so hard to get into, how is it that Malfoy can get in when half the year is basically over?" Harry asked.

Hermione pursed her lips and then sighed. "I don't know, Harry. His parents probably had numerous contacts and now that they're gone he has the entire Malfoy fortune."

"Yeah, but why do you think he'd take the trouble to spend so much money going to a new school for just half a year?" Harry urged, leaning forward. "Doesn't that sound a little suspicious?"

Hermione half-rolled her eyes. "Harry, you're trying too hard to find something suspicious about Malfoy. He's already paid for what he's done. And while he may never be considered a good person, at least he'll be using his energy for educational purposes. Now that the war's over there's not much he could do even if he still wanted to get into the Dark Arts. Besides, that's not a main focus over at the school anyway so you really have nothing to worry about. Stop trying to find something wrong with him. I know you and Ron probably wish he was locked in Azkaban forever but the truth is that compared to everyone else who helped Voldemort, Malfoy is the least harmful. He did the least crimes and he has at least done something to repent. So just leave him alone and get on with your own life, Harry."

"But, Hermione, this letter I found—"

"Harry, please," Hermione scolded, "stop looking for trouble. Good grief, you'd think you wanted the Dark Age to come back."

"I don't, it's just—"

"Then stop acting as though Malfoy's going to become the next Dark Lord. Even if he wanted to, he doesn't have the powers or the ability to gain supporters. Many Slytherins are in hiding and most of the Death Eaters have been executed. Really, Harry, just leave it alone. Concentrate on studying for N.E.W.T.s and even get back into Quidditch. Listen, I have a lot of work to do, but take my advice and don't stress out about Malfoy. He's harmless, Harry."

Nodding reluctantly, Harry dropped the subject. "Alright, Hermione, I won't do anything stupid. I just have one more question."

Sighing, Hermione nodded. "Alright, what is it?"

"Do you know what the Ice Scale is?"

"The Ice Scale? Well…there was a legend about Excalibur. Something about during Merlin's time, before King Arthur, the sword Excalibur was forged and used against a mythical dragon called the Crystalline Kura, but…I'm not very familiar with the details of that myth, but I think in that myth something about an Ice Scale is mentioned, though I'm not positive. Either way, it's an ancient myth, basically long-forgotten. There aren't many records left of it anymore," Hermione shrugged. "It's not for a class, is it?"

"Er, no, I just heard it somewhere and wondered what it was."

"Oh," Hermione smiled. "Well, it's not important. It's just another myth—some story about a dragon. Anyway, I should get back to work."

"Er, yeah, that's okay, I forgot something at the Ministry anyway," Harry said, quickly packing up his books. "I might not be back in time for dinner, er…in case I get stuck at the party again."

"Okay, but try not to stay too late," Hermione beamed. "We have a test tomorrow in _Worldwide Spells and Charms_."

"Er, I won't," Harry said.

He hurried back to his room and threw his books inside, not bothering to put them back in his trunk. Then he flew back to the Ministry as fast as he could. There was something he just had to find out and it couldn't wait until the next day. When he arrived at the Ministry, there were still many members conversing and having a good time. Harry crept through the crowd and headed for the Ministry library. Thankfully, he didn't bump into anyone in the halls.

Once Harry was inside the library he immediately headed for the large shelves with a flashing **_D _**in front. He searched and found quite a few books on dragons. After a while of searching, he found a book titled: _Legendary Dragons. _It was an old, thick text so he had to be careful when flipping through the pages. Harry searched until he found what he was looking for:

_The Myth of the Crystalline Kura:_

_The legendary breed of ice dragon that was said to be the largest dragon in the world. The scales were said to be a metallic silver (similar in texture to the scales of the well-known Ukrainian Ironbelly dragon) and as strong and indestructible as the sword Excalibur. This mythological beast was said to have magnificently blue eyes and no pupils. Its fire was that of a brilliant blue (much like the flames of a Swedish Short-Snout) and it was said to be extremely vicious and powerful. Its scales were said to deflect all wizard magic and its flames were so powerful it could destroy a village in one blow. The legend states that this massive beast was challenged by Merlin himself when Excalibur was supposedly first created (though there are no known records to prove this). Legend has it that this beast had run wild with anger for whatever reason, many said it felt threatened by humans, others said it went wild with loneliness because it was the last of the Ice Dragon race, but for whatever reason it was said to be flying all around its homeland New Zealand and then around Europe, destroying homes and towns. _

_So Merlin, with Excalibur, challenged this beast to silence it. Legend goes that when Excalibur's power hit the scales of this mythological beast, a power unlike any other was forged. The scale on the back of the Ice Dragon's neck that had been directly hit by the power of Excalibur broke off and instead of shattering turned a magnificent, deep violet. The scale absorbed the power of Excalibur and combined with the power from the Ice Dragon it's said this Scale then possessed the power of twenty wizards combined. Even the power of Excalibur, as the legend is told, couldn't destroy the beast, so Merlin put it into an eternal slumber to subdue it. And it is said that he hid this slumbering demon in a place where no one could find it. And the Scale that had been bestowed with the power of Excalibur vanished. Many believe that this legendary Scale, if ever found, could not only give the beholder unimaginable powers, but also perhaps awaken this ancient, slumbering beast. _

_To this day, no one knows if the legend of the Ice Dragon, now referred to as the Crystalline Kura (supposedly born or first seen in Kaikura, New Zealand), is true. No records show that Merlin used Excalibur before it was forged and bestowed to King Arthur. And there are no records in Merlin's life that suggests he ever came across such a beast, however our records are limited because it happened during ancient times. Many families surrounding that era believed it to be true. No one knows how the word or legend got started, but one thing for sure is that it will remain the most mysterious and awe-striking legend ever in the wizard world!_

Harry gazed up from the book in complete awe. His heart was thudding loudly with both excitement and fear. The Ice Dragon was supposedly native to New Zealand, and the school Malfoy wanted to go to was in New Zealand. Not to mention, he was almost certain the Ice Scale mentioned in the Minister's letter was referring to the legendary one, which meant Voldemort could have been after it. And if the Minister believed he found the whereabouts of the Scale, that meant that the legend was probably true! And if that Scale did exist…if it did fall into the wrong hands, they were all doomed. If that was all true, Harry understood why the Minister was so concerned about it. He also understood why the Minister didn't tell him anything.

But how could such an ancient legend with so little written proof suddenly turn up in modern times with the whereabouts of the powerful Scale? How was it possible that Minister Scrimageour figured out a legend that people over thousands upon thousands of years ago, tried to determine if it was true? It just didn't add up. And why was it that Voldemort was just recently looking for it? Being such an intelligent student at Hogwarts, Tom Riddle had probably heard about the legendary Scale long before the Minister, so why hadn't he tried searching for it back then if he believed the legend was true? Perhaps he had been and Harry just didn't know it. Or maybe Dumbledore knew something about it as well and had never mentioned it. Either way, some unanswered questions still remained and Harry's curiosity was only growing.

Closing the book, Harry slipped it back into place. If Voldemort had wanted the Scale, and had failed at obtaining it because Harry accidentally triggered some unknown trap in a secluded Ministry room that no one understood the purpose of, perhaps some of his Death Eaters knew about it as well. Perhaps his Death Eaters were even aiding him to find it. Suddenly, Harry's eyes widened and he wondered if perhaps Malfoy had been aiding Voldemort in retrieving information on the Scale. If that was true…perhaps Malfoy had been searching for it! And maybe, just maybe, he was still trying to find it! That could be the reason he decided to go to a school all the way in New Zealand. After all, that was where the legend originated.

"But how am I going to keep an eye on Malfoy to see if he's after this Scale?" Harry wondered aloud. "Perhaps…I could find out which inn he's being watched at in Hogsmeade, but he'll only be there for another two weeks and then he'll probably go straight to New Zealand. Maybe if I spy on him for the next couple of weeks I'll learn something new. In the meantime, I've got to see if there's a way I could follow him to that school. Even if I can't get into the school, maybe there's still a way to keep an eye on him."

He slipped out of the library, careful to be quiet in case any members were lingering in nearby hallways. Quietly, Harry crept back down where he saw that not many Ministry members were left in the lobby. He hadn't realized just how long he had been researching in the secret library. Harry decided now was as good chance as ever to get information from one of the members, preferably the drunkest one. There was one young man that he vaguely recognized and he appeared very drunk so Harry approached him.

"Excuse me, sir, I was—"

"Harry s'Potter," he slurred. "Have I'sss met you?"

"Er…how else would you know my name?"

"S'true," he slurred again.

"Er, do you by any chance know where Draco Malfoy is being watched in Hogsmeade?"

"S'ures do," he grinned widely. "In the S'Three…no wait…the…S'new S'snotsss inn, or ssssomething…," the young man hiccupped and began mumbling things Harry found unimportant.

He left the Ministry and instead of heading to Hogwarts in time for dinner, Harry decided to check out the inn Malfoy was staying at. He was just going to take a small peek to see if he was really being watched well by Aurors. And at least if he found out exactly where Malfoy was staying he could keep a better eye on him, at least until he figured out how to follow him to New Zealand.

It was beginning to become dark out, but Harry didn't mind. He was determined not to give Malfoy a chance to pick up where Voldemort left off. He had to stop and ask someone in a Hogsmeade store where the inn was. The older woman didn't recognize what the young Ministry member had said but mentioned there was a new inn on the opposite side of Hogsmeade than where the Three Broomsticks was located. Harry knew Hogsmeade had been expanded to accustom new stores so he wasn't surprised to note that he hadn't been in that specific area before. There were several new stores, a couple of which hadn't opened, and down at the end was a large inn with a flashing colored sign that read: **_Nockturn Inn_**. Harry squinted when he realized there was smaller lettering beside it that read: **_No kids after ten pm._**

Shrugging, Harry pushed the door open and went inside. It was much bigger than it appeared on the outside. There were at least five floors, maybe more. There was a front lobby and a small hallway that led into the next room where Harry could make out a pub. A young woman was waiting at the front desk and twirling her wand absent-mindedly.

"Er, excuse me?" Harry asked as she glanced up. "Am I allowed to just walk in?"

"Hold out your hand," she said.

Harry did so and she pointed her wand and murmured a spell. A small red circle appeared and she smiled.

"Alright, go on in."

Harry glanced down at his hand curiously but walked into the pub. There were tables and chairs that filled up the large room, except for the small levitating stage up front. The floating lights above in the room were dim and occasionally changed colors. There was soft music playing from somewhere above and Harry could see in the distance the stairs that led up to the inn's rooms. Harry began heading to the stairs determined to figure out which room was Malfoy's. He passed by a couple couches with tables in front of them.

"What the hell are you doing here, Potter?"

Halting suddenly, Harry turned to find where the familiar icy voice was coming from. His eyes caught sight of Malfoy sitting on the couch with one leg propped up and what looked like a Butterbeer in his hand. Harry crossed his arms, not wanting Malfoy to figure out his purpose was to find him.

"What's it look like Malfoy? I'm taking a break in a pub."

Malfoy unexpected let out a loud laugh. "You, Potter? Hanging out in a pub when you were too afraid to take one glass of champagne? Not even a troll would buy that," he sneered.

"Well what the hell are you doing out of your room? I thought you were supposed to be watched by aurors at all times, huh? Perhaps I should let them know."

"Go right ahead," Malfoy drawled, gesturing behind him.

Harry slowly turned and caught sight of a table nearby the stage that had five aurors sitting around it, drinking and chatting amiably. His mouth nearly dropped open but he held it shut. It didn't at all appear the aurors were keeping a close watch on an untrustworthy Slytherin, but rather the inn was just a place for them to drink and have fun. Harry wondered if Malfoy wasn't being watched all along. The aurors were definitely slacking on their jobs. They probably assumed Malfoy was completely harmless, especially with his parents dead, Voldemort gone and the war over. But Harry knew better—he knew not to underestimate even the least likely of people.

"You see, they even know how to have a good time, unlike you," Malfoy drawled with a smirk.

Harry clenched his jaw. "I told you I came here to relax!"

Malfoy sneered and took a swig of his Butterbeer. "Then go somewhere else and relax."

"Excuse me sir, would you like something to drink?"

Harry turned to see a waitress smiling at him and he glanced at Malfoy out of the corner of his eyes. Smiling in return, Harry nodded.

"Yes please. I'd like a butterbeer."

"One butterbeer coming up. Please, make yourself comfortable," she said, walking away.

Harry, without glancing at Malfoy, plopped down onto the couch across from Malfoy.

"Potter, what about finding another place to relax didn't you understand?" Malfoy snapped.

"I believe since I'm a customer I can sit wherever I'd like," Harry retorted, crossing his arms. And he'd keep a close watch on Malfoy since the aurors didn't seem to be doing their job.

The blond sent him a cold glare but proceeded to drink the rest of his butterbeer and ignore Harry's presence. A minute later, the waitress came with Harry's butterbeer and the two lapsed into silence. Occasionally, Harry glanced over at the blond out of the corner of his eye. Malfoy was completely ignoring him and was leaning back against the couch while looking around carelessly.

Just then, the stage lit up with magically lights and cheering echoed throughout the pub. Harry stared over at the stage curiously, wondering if perhaps a famous band was going to play.

"Tell me Potter," Malfoy drawled, getting Harry to turn and look at him. "Are you interested in a challenge?"

Malfoy pulled out a small sack of coins and set it on the table in front of him. Then the blond leaned back looking pleased with himself.

"Or are you too goody-goody for that, huh Potter?"

Harry's eyes narrowed. He wasn't sure what Malfoy was getting at but he wasn't backing down. Reaching into his robe, Harry pulled out a handful of wizard coins and set them down on the table as well.

"Satisfied, Malfoy?" Harry shot back. "What's the challenge?"

"The challenge is to see who's better," Malfoy's lips curled into a malicious sneer.

The blond then pushed his small sack of coins to the end of the table on his side. Harry didn't want Malfoy to see he was thoroughly confused so he piled his coins neatly at his end of the table as well, and then waited. Malfoy rose his arms up behind his head.

"And how do we tell who wins?" Harry asked, trying not to look uneasy (being since he still had no clue what Malfoy was challenging him to).

Malfoy's eyes narrowed mockingly as he smirked. "That's easy, Potter. Whosever coins get picked up first wins."

Harry opened his mouth to ask what he meant, but he was interrupted as another applause broke out. A small explosion sounded and Harry jerked his head to the stage. Suddenly, the lights dimmed even more and the music changed. It was slow but sensuous and the lights began changing various colors. Harry could make out figures that appeared on stage. He felt his whole body go rigid like it was affected by some sort of spell. That's when the lights brightened just enough to reveal the dancing figures. The first that appeared was a young, ethereal-looking woman with long dark brown hair flowing past her waist, curling at the tips. Her eyes were a deep ocean blue and her lips were a crimson red. She moved her hands along her hips and down over the blue satin gown she was wearing. Harry recognized this sensation—it was the same feeling he had during the Quidditch tournament where he saw Veelas for the first time.

The women on stage were apparently Veelas. They were all dressed in different attire, some of them wearing short skirts and tops that hardly concealed anything. All of them were moving erotically and smiling at the crowd of men who were cheering and looking very excited. Even the semi-drunk aurors were yelling and attempting to call the Veelas over to them. As the music picked up the Veelas began slowly dancing off stage. Harry watched as a group of guys levitated sacks of coins in the air to get the Veelas to come over to them. That's when it all clicked—Malfoy had challenged him to see who could get the Veelas to come to them first.

He was suddenly feeling extremely out-of-place and wished he hadn't gone there. And now the sign out front saying no kids after ten made a lot more sense. The spell the woman at the front desk used on his hand must've been to make sure he was of age. Harry swallowed thickly and slowly inclined his head back to Malfoy who was still leaning back against the couch with his arms behind his head. There was a small smirk on his lips as he was watching the Veelas.

There were at least ten Veelas and they were spreading out across the pub now, coming over to those they desired. It appeared that the Veelas didn't choose everyone, which was why some tried to offer much more money than they ought to. For the most part, the Veelas attended anyone who was willing to pay. Very slowly, a couple Veelas started heading in their direction. Harry's heart was hammering very loudly in his chest. He didn't want Malfoy to realize he was inexperienced.

Although he had had erections in the past, the first one being from a dream he had of Cho during fourth year, he had never had a lap-dance or any remotely sexual advances from a girl. He and Ginny had only ever kissed and he had never had an erection from thinking of (or being with) her. And though he had experienced wet dreams a couple times in the past, he was still a virgin and he didn't want Malfoy to somehow figure that out.

Two Veelas began advancing in their direction and Harry felt his throat constrict. Malfoy put his arms down and sneered at him.

"Well, Potter, I guess we'll soon find out who they want more."

Harry just glared at him, hiding his discomfort. One Veela with short black hair and bright hazel eyes began approaching Harry. She was wearing a tight, short, velvet-red dress that matched her lipstick. Glancing in Malfoy's direction, he saw that a Veela with wavy brown hair and light blue eyes, wearing a quarter-sleeve tight, silky white shirt (that showed a lot of cleavage) and a short black skirt, was already running her fingers through Malfoy's hair. The blond gazed over at him and sneered, silently telling him that if his Veela picked up his sack of coins first he'd win.

His body jerked with surprise as fingers came from behind and slid down his robe. The Veela was standing behind him and she smelled strongly of lilacs. Her fingers took hold of his robe and unbuttoned it, sliding it off of him. He was then clad in the outfit he bought for the Ministry celebration: his new black pants and dark-green long-sleeved shirt. She then suddenly grabbed his chin and pulled his head upward, tilting his neck backward. He gazed up at her, finding it very hard to move. Thankfully, he hadn't started getting an erection, at least not yet, but he still couldn't tear his eyes away from her. The Veela bent down over him, her bright eyes staring into his and her lips ghosted nearby his, but she didn't kiss him.

Then she pulled away and moved with a seductive dance over to the table. The other Veela did the same. Both Veelas twirled once and smiled at them as they reached down and picked up their money. Malfoy's eyes narrowed a bit as their money was picked up at basically the same time.

"Looks like they want a double-dance, Potter," Malfoy drawled coolly.

The blond stood up and approached the middle couch that was in between the two couches they were seated on. He slumped onto the middle couch and Harry just stared at him, not following.

"Let's go Potter! Before they change their minds!" Malfoy snapped.

Harry turned and saw that the Veelas were staring and smiling at him, waiting. Harry felt his stomach churn with anxiety, but he stood up and approached the same couch Malfoy was sitting on. He wasn't naïve—he understood what a double-dance meant. It meant that he and Malfoy would be watching their seductive dance at the same time, instead of the Veelas dancing separately for them. As Harry sat down, he made sure there was distance between him and Malfoy.

The Veelas then started their dance, moving their bodies simultaneously as they tried to arouse them. Harry watched, both perplexed and nervous watching their bodies move but yet he found that his body wasn't reacting to them. When he had had the erection of Cho, it had been the excitement of liking a girl for the first time, plus his thirst to prove himself to her and the combination unlocked dormant desires he hadn't known he had. After that, he had woken up with wet-dreams a couple times but he never remembered the dream so he wasn't sure if it was with any particular girl or if it was just a natural reaction.

As the Veelas danced, they came closer and closer, letting their fingers brush across bits of their clothing or their hair. The more the Veelas moved, the more Harry became entranced, feeling helpless like he had during the Quidditch match. Soon he wasn't concentrating on his anxiety or the details of their moves, but was just staring as if hypnotized. He felt a soft hand on his face, turning his head sideways. There were hands on him occasionally, but they soon disappeared. An intoxicating smell filled his senses, along with the lilac he recognized, and Harry felt soft hands grab his head gently. Then the hands pushed his head.

Harry wasn't consciously aware of what was going on and he was unable to fight. Just then his lips pressed against another pair of warm lips. Harry automatically closed his eyes and leaned into the kiss. The hands on his head vanished and soon his lips were moving against the other mouth of their own accord. His body was jerked forward roughly and the kissing became more demanding. His lips were forced open by a hot tongue, which invaded his mouth and began massaging his tongue. Harry only somewhat realized his body was reacting very quickly. His cock was hardening and although it wasn't a full erection he was definitely becoming aroused. Thankfully, his pants were tight enough to conceal the arousal he had.

Fingers suddenly gripped his hair roughly and forced his head back as the tongue explored his mouth. Harry finally was able to move a little and went to reach his arms around the person's back. As he did, their chests pushed together and although Harry was in a trance he was very aware that he was not pressing up against a girl. The trance was suddenly broken as Harry's eyes snapped open. He pulled away, dazed and confused enough to see Malfoy's face in front of him. Harry's eyes widened in horror and Malfoy's eyes opened.

"What the hell!" Malfoy snapped, pushing Harry roughly backward and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

Harry caught himself before he fell off the couch, still trying to figure out what had happened.

"That was absolutely disgusting Potter!" Malfoy spat, wiping at his mouth several times. "Now I'm going to have to use every cleansing spell I know just so I don't catch your germs!"

Harry snapped out of his shock and glared angrily. "This was your bloody idea, Malfoy!"

"Don't remind me Potter! I'm going to have nightmares every night as it is!" Malfoy snapped, giving him a glare.

Harry realized that the Veelas weren't there anymore. "It was the Veelas," he said aloud.

"Of course it was Potter! They thought it'd be amusing to scar me for life!" Malfoy snapped. "I just wasted my money! Per usual, you screw up my night!"

The blond stood up and walked right past him toward the stairs. Part of him wanted to follow, but he realized that he wouldn't be able to sneak behind Malfoy without getting caught. Realizing it was already close to midnight, Harry left the inn and flew back to Hogwarts, still not entirely sure it had happened. When he got there he went straight to his room and got into bed. Staring up at the ceiling, Harry tried to remember the night. Just like at the Quidditch match, he realized the Veelas had such a trance on guys that they don't remember some things. Harry only remembered sitting near Malfoy as the Veelas were dancing for them and then…

"Oh God!" Harry whispered aloud, covering his mouth.

He couldn't believe it. Out of all the people in the world, he had kissed Malfoy. Not only had their kissed, they had made-out with tongues and all. Harry tried not to gag and that was when he noticed something else. Bringing a hand down, he felt his slight hard-on and swallowed. He was still aroused, but worst of all he knew he had gotten aroused while kissing Malfoy.

_No, it was the Veelas. I didn't know I was kissing Malfoy! _

Harry immediately shut his eyes and tried to block out the image of Malfoy's tongue in his mouth. He really shouldn't have gone to that inn. There was no way in hell he was ever going to tell Ron or Hermione about what happened. No, he'd take what happened to his grave.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

To Reviewers: 

**SnowFalcon: **Hey!!! Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, I guess I do have a thing for killing Voldie near the beginning. Well, this time he at least didn't die in the prologue, hehe! And who knows, he may not be dead. :-) Haha, wow, that's funny that you mentioned that!! I mean about how in this story it seemed like everything was going to happen at Hogwarts, but actually, like in Captivation, I like going to new boundaries. It makes it more exciting to write and also gives me more freedom. So in that regard, you won't have to worry. While Harry still is at Hogwarts, for now, and while it won't disappear completely, the main plot of the story is NOT going to happen at Hogwarts. And I hope you enjoyed the mild Harry/Draco action in this chapter:-)


	6. Deception

**Pure Rhapsody**

**_Chapter Warning: Mild sexual activity/voyeurism_**

_**FUTURE WARNING**: In two chapters there will be **SLASH (meaning sex) between boys**; I'm sure you all know the pairing already. _

**Chapter 5: Deception**

Over the course of the next couple of days, Harry tried to keep an eye on Malfoy, without having to go inside the inn. After classes, he would take his invisibility cloak (since he still wasn't very good with turning invisible for long without it) and would peer into the windows of the inn. One time he caught sight of the blond sitting in his usual seat on the couch, but at the angle of the window and all the tables and chairs in front of him Harry couldn't see much.

The castle was quiet except for the soft snoozing coming from the Fat Lady. Harry sat wide awake at one a.m. in the common room. The only light was from the fire as he finished his last essay. Slumping back into the chair he thought about everything—about the Scale and about Malfoy going to the Embervale Academy in New Zealand. And then his thoughts went to Voldemort and he wondered if he could really be destroyed without all his Horcruxes being destroyed. Not for the first time Harry wondered if Malfoy really did know anything about the Scale. He sat there for some time thinking about how he could figure it out.

Harry sat up quickly as an idea struck him. It was something so bizarre and definitely risky, but it just might work. He was suddenly very grateful that he paid attention in Transfiguration class. He knew he couldn't figure it out on his own, but Hermione would know how to do it. And she wouldn't be suspicious since it was something they were studying for the N.E.W.T.s. Harry picked up his parchment and then went up to bed hoping that his plan would work.

The next day was Friday, to Harry's relief. After the first few classes, during lunch in the Great Hall, Harry decided to bring it up.

"Er, Hermione?"

She turned, after swallowing a bite of her sandwich. "What is it, Harry?"

"You know how we have to know how to transfigure objects into animals for Transfiguration?" he questioned as Ron glanced over with a mouthful of food. "I'm a little unsure about the transfiguration of humans. How does that work again?"

Hermione beamed at him, seemingly proud that he wanted to learn. "It's actually simpler than it sounds, although it is tricky. You see, transfiguring humans is a lot like the power of a metamorphmagus, only it's temporary and not as complex. It is true that only a select few, like Tonks, can be a metamorphmagus, but humans can transfigure themselves like they do goblets into rats or vice versa. Actually, having an Animagus is similar to being a metamorphmagus, only you're limited in what you can transform into."

"Okay, so…if a human, say, wanted to transfigure his or her appearance, would they have to be metamorphmagi?" Harry asked.

Ron raised an eyebrow, wondering why he was curious to learn. But then he shrugged and decided to join in the conversation with Dean and some others about the Quidditch championships.

Hermione smiled and shook her head. "That's a very good question and probably something that's going to be on the N.E.W.T.s. You might even have to demonstrate it. The thing is that metamorphmagi can transfigure into anyone or change anything about their appearance and it stays that way until they change it back. With advanced transfiguration, however, a witch or wizard could in fact change their appearance, temporarily of course, by use of a very advanced spell. It's called a cloaking spell. It is very advanced but even someone who isn't an Animagi or metamorphmagi can accomplish this, which is why we're working on it. The spell can last up to three hours, I believe, depending on how good you can perform it, but basically it can change a person's appearance. The only problem is that in order to change your appearance, unlike a metamorphmagi who can look at someone and concentrate on their appearance, with the transfiguration spell you have to aim at someone. Like, take Luna for example," Hermione said, gesturing to her.

"If I want to change my hair to look like hers, I'd say _morphus facadus_," Hermione said quietly. A blue stream shot out of her wand and hit the back of Luna's head. Then Hermione turned her wand to her own hair and murmured the spell again. Her hair morphed slowly into long, unkempt blond hair.

"Wow," Harry said, awed. "You've really got that down."

Hermione's face flushed with gratitude and she waved her wand to change her hair back to normal. "You can do it too, Harry. The things that you want to change, you have to say a spell on someone else or on a picture, but that's much more difficult, and then alter it on yourself. That's the trick. But you have to be careful when using it on other people to change your own appearance because you might accidentally erase that part of them or alter their features. So you have to say it clearly and make sure you aim well. Also practice it a few times with objects first because you don't want to accidentally erase someone's nose trying to alter your own."

Harry nodded. "Er, yeah. I'll be careful. Thanks, Hermione."

"No problem, Harry. I'm really glad you're taking the N.E.W.T.s seriously, unlike some people," she said, glaring at Ron out of the corner of her eye. The red-head was oblivious to her heated stare, but Harry just smiled.

"Well, I do want to graduate with decent grades. I'm sure Ron does too, you know since he wants to be a famous Quidditch player and all."

"Yeah, I know," Hermione huffed.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed a little. So Hermione _had_ known about Ron wanting to be a famous Quidditch player. How come Ron hadn't told him? Harry wanted to know the reason, so after lunch while they were walking to their next classes Harry waited until Hermione went down a different hall toward her class before he spoke.

"Er, Ron?"

Blinking, the red-head turned to him. "What's up, Harry?"

"Er, I…well, we haven't hung out in a while," Harry began.

"Yeah, I know. You've just been so busy, what with the war and all," Ron shrugged. "I mean, it's okay. I've been hanging out with Hermione, Dean, Seamus and some new guys I met. Oh! And I forgot to tell you this, but for the dance I asked out this really pretty girl named Almira, she's a seventh year in Ravenclaw, but anyway she said yes!" Ron exclaimed as the tips of his ears turned red. "Are you going to the dance?"

"Er, probably not," Harry said uncomfortably. "I might, er, be going on an errand for the Ministry around that time."

"Oh," Ron replied. "Well, I'll let you know if I hook up with her."

Harry nodded, feeling envy stirring in the pit of his stomach. "Er, sure. Actually, I was wondering, how come you didn't tell me you're planning to become a famous Quidditch player?"

Ron's shoulders tensed, but he shrugged a few seconds later. "Umm, I guess because I haven't seen you around much, you know?"

"Ron, come on, you could've told me several times," Harry replied, resisting the urge to raise his voice.

"Harry, it's no big deal," Ron said, conveniently not looking at him as he spoke. "I just thought you had a lot on your mind and I didn't want to make you feel bad."

"What? Why would I feel bad about you wanting to become a famous Quidditch player? I think it's a great dream," Harry said.

Ron glanced at him looking a bit uncomfortable and then quickly turned his head away. "It's just that…well, a couple months ago I decided to put in an application to a Quidditch program. You know, those programs where they train you for professional Quidditch teams? Um, well since you stopped being captain, which I know wasn't your fault because of the war and such, but…I don't know, without you there I kind of…performed better in Quidditch I guess. I think I was just intimidated by your presence just because…um…"

"Because I'm famous and I always get attention," Harry said dryly.

"I know you don't like it," Ron said quickly, "but…yeah, I guess I just felt like I was never good enough compared to you. So when you left I started doing better, after a while, and I got a reply from someone working in the Quidditch program. They came down to watch me practice and they said there's a good chance I can get into their program after I graduate."

"Oh," Harry replied lamely, fighting the jealousy that was quickly overwhelming him. "Er, that's great, Ron. I'm happy for you."

Ron smiled widely. "Thanks, Harry! It's just, I know you love Quidditch—I mean, come on, you were the first in a hundred years to get on the team at eleven, and you won most of the games for Gryffindor, so I just didn't want you to feel bad that I basically have a guarantee of getting into the Quidditch program and then moving on to a professional team, you know? But I am really excited! It was so hard not to tell you, but I'm glad you're fine with it, Harry! I should've known you'd be alright with it."

Harry forced a smile and nodded. "Of course. Congratulations on that. So, I guess I'll be seeing you in a few years in the news playing on a team."

Ron beamed. "Yeah! I wanted to play for the Chudley Canons, you know help them get a good reputation and get into the championships, but now that I know I have a chance I think I'll just wait and see which team looks the best."

Harry nodded just as they reached their class. They didn't have the same class at the same time, but their classes were right next door to one another.

"See you at dinner, Harry!" Ron exclaimed, waving as he disappeared into his classroom.

Harry slumped into his and took a seat in the back, feeling worse than ever. Not only was Ron going to the dance with a supposedly beautiful girl, while Harry was still single not having had a girlfriend since Ginny (and since the war was going on while dating her they didn't get a lot of time together anyway). Not only that, but now Ron was going to possibly become a famous Quidditch player. Harry hadn't really thought about what he wanted to do after graduation, but he knew he loved Quidditch and he would be ecstatic if he found out he had a chance to get into a training program for the professional league.

And what made things worse was that since Harry didn't get to spend a lot of time with his friends ever since seventh year began, because of the war and such, his friends had branched out and started hanging out with other friends. Harry tried not to feel jealous—he wanted to be happy for Ron, but he suddenly felt like he was the one who was losing. Here he was at seventeen, having trained and prepared all his life for fighting Voldemort, going through years of dangers and fame but also criticism, and yet in the end when the war was over he ended up with very little. He had no romantic relationship (and while he could've stayed with Ginny he felt like it wouldn't have made a difference since he didn't feel intensely romantic toward her), he only had a small group of friends that he knew very well and since he hardly saw them during the war Harry felt like he missed out on a lot. And on top of it all, his future was so unclear to him that he didn't even want to think about it. Truthfully, even though everyone believed he would become an Auror, even Malfoy, he really didn't want that.

It made him extremely anxious to think about the future—where he would go, what he would do. For Ron and Hermione, and many of his other friends, they had their parents to help them out and decide what to do with their futures. Not to mention, if something fell-through they'd have a place to go back to. Although the Weasleys were like an extended family to him, Harry doubted that he could just use them like an intermediate family in case he came across hard times in his future. So instead of dwelling on it, Harry pushed the concerns aside and focused on his plan to get information out of Malfoy.

After his last class, he began practicing the spell Hermione mentioned. He targeted oblivious students in the hallways and ran to the girls' lavatory to see if it was working. The first couple of times he did it, his appearance morphed slightly but not to the exact look of the person he was targeting. Harry kept trying and by the fifth or so time he managed to get it down. He stared at himself in the mirror, eyeing the short brunette hair, brown eyes and longer face.

A high-pitched giggle came from one of the stalls and Harry turned to see Moaning Myrtle floating out of it.

"I've been watching you," she smiled coyly, as if it was some big secret. "Why are you changing yourself Harry? I think you look just fine the way you are."

"Er, thanks," Harry said awkwardly. "Actually, I'm just practicing for my transfiguration class."

"Oh," Myrtle laughed and floated over to him. "Can you change back too?"

Harry looked back in the mirror and murmured the spell again. His hair turned back to its black, slightly unkempt state and his eyes turned green again while his boyish, rounder face came back as well.

"You look really nice without your glasses, Harry," Myrtle said as her transparent body brushed up against his arm.

"Er…thanks," Harry managed to get out.

Myrtle twirled a small piece of her hair with one hand as the other adjusted her transparent glasses. Slowly, she floated up toward his face, batting her eye-lashes rather unattractively.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Harry tried backing away. "Er, yeah, I do," he lied.

Myrtle's smile dimmed and her eyes began to tear. "So that's why you haven't come to see me? I get awfully lonely here, Harry. Sometimes…I know it's terrible, but at times I do wish you had died down in that Chamber and became a ghost. Then we could be together forever."

Harry felt a cold shiver run up his spine. Even if he had died, he wasn't positive that he'd become a ghost, but he certainly didn't want to share a toilet with her.

"Er, well I want to live Myrtle. I'm sorry you're lonely, but I really have to go," he said quickly.

"Harry!" Myrtle whined as he rushed out of the bathroom. "Come visit me soon!"

He didn't turn back until he had safely reached the Gryffindor common room. Breathing a deep sigh of relief, he decided to go to the library and finish the last of his homework. His plan would start that night, since it was the weekend. Hopefully, it wouldn't take long to get information out of Malfoy, but the blond had proven difficult in the past. Harry went to the library and didn't notice a couple other occupants sitting at a table in the back until he was already spotted.

"Harry," a soft voice said.

He turned, startled, to see Ginny staring at him uncertainly with her boyfriend sitting right next to her. It was apparent that they were studying, or lack thereof.

"Er, hi," Harry said, smiling politely.

He wasn't jealous, but he couldn't deny it was a bit awkward. Ginny smiled slightly and Harry went to a table, turning his back on them, and began to finish his homework. Once he was finished and began packing up, Ginny approached him looking a bit nervous.

"Are you going to bed?" she asked, trying to fill the silence.

Harry shrugged. "Yeah. Thought I'd go to bed early tonight. Doing jobs for the Ministry is exhausting."

"So, they still have you doing jobs even though…you know, the Dark Lord's defeated and the Minister's dead?" she asked uncomfortably.

"Yeah, er, they need more help now more than ever. At least until a new Minister gets elected," Harry lied. "I should probably go to bed."

"Okay…," Ginny nodded. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Night," Harry said, nodding to her.

He left the library hoping that she didn't check on him when enter the Gryffindor common room to see if he was asleep, or ask Ron to. If they found out he wasn't in bed they'd bombard him with questions until they discovered what he was really up to. And then he wouldn't be able to keep an eye on Malfoy.

Going over the plan in his head several more times, Harry got his invisibility cloak and slipped out of the common room unnoticed. He had pulled his curtains closed around his bed to make it look like he was asleep. He remembered the secret passage into Hogsmeade, which he figured out how to unblock (there were charms protecting the witch statue during the war in case Death Eaters were led into the school that way). He then slipped into Hogsmeade and headed toward the inn.

Softly landing, Harry targeted unsuspecting people as they passed by in order to change his appearance. He stole a man's short brunette hair, a woman's longer face and higher cheekbones, another man's bright hazel eyes and yet another man's height (which made him a few inches taller, which meant he would be almost exactly Malfoy's height). Walking into the inn, the woman sitting at the front of the entrance didn't even question him as he passed. He figured he must have looked old enough. Harry glanced around and felt his shoulders slump with disappointment when he saw Malfoy wasn't in his usual place on the couch. That meant he could be up in his room and in that case Harry would need a very convincing excuse to find out his room and knock on his door.

Sighing, he decided maybe he'd stay for one relaxing drink of butterbeer. Glancing around for an empty table, Harry walked around and noticed that the whole place was packed. As he searched for a place however he noticed an archway in the back of the room nearby the bar counter. Harry approached it and was stunned when he realized there was even more to the inn. Walking inside, he came into yet another room similar to the one before only it was a bit smaller and didn't have a stage. However, there were more plush couches to just sit and relax. As Harry walked toward the center, his stomach lurched as he spotted Malfoy sipping a drink while lying down on one of the black leather couches. The blond was probably trying to stay as far away from the Aurors as possible. That explained why he was in the smaller room.

"Excuse me," Harry said, approaching a waitress. "May I have a Butterbeer."

"Sure thing," she smiled, as Harry handed her a couple coins.

Harry took in deep breath and put on a casual expression as he approached the couch next to the one Malfoy was lying on. He sighed heavily, and loudly, as he sat down and Malfoy turned his head and glanced at him. Harry pretended to be taking off his coat and looking around the place as if he was intrigued by the room. Slowly, he turned his gaze on Malfoy who was staring at him disinterested as he sipped his drink.

"Hello," he spoke in a deeper tone than usual.

Harry realized that he didn't know how to change his voice. He'd have to ask Hermione later.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow in response. "What do you want?"

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "Nothing. This is my first time in this inn."

Malfoy shrugged, seemingly not caring at all what he had to say.

"My name is Oliver, by the way," Harry said, stating the first name that came to mind. "And yours?"

"None of your business," Malfoy drawled.

"Well, I can see you must have loads of friends," Harry replied with obvious sarcasm.

Malfoy's eyes lingered on him. "Just because I don't go around telling everyone who I am and the rest of my business does not mean I'm not well-respected."

"Right then. So, can you at least tell me how this place is?"

Malfoy shrugged. "Fine. But I've seen better places in Knockturn Alley."

"Ah, are you a Slytherin by any chance?"

The blond's eyes narrowed onto him.

"I'm just asking because I know that practically only Slytherins, purebloods or those interested in the Dark Arts shop in Knockturn Alley," Harry stated calmly.

"Well good for you," Malfoy drawled, taking another swig of his drink.

Biting his tongue, Harry realized he was getting no where. It shouldn't have been a surprise that Malfoy wasn't going to open up to a complete stranger. He had to find a different way to get the blond to open up. The waitress came over and handed Harry his drink. Then she took Malfoy's empty glass and Harry watched as the blond stood up to leave.

"Er, it was nice to meet you," Harry said quickly.

Malfoy turned partially and snorted. Without another glance back he left the room. Harry slumped back against the couch and took a big gulp of his drink. That hadn't gone as planned. Suddenly, Harry felt something tingly on his head and reached up. He could feel his hair beginning to morph back to its original state. Sighing in annoyance, Harry left his basically full drink on the table and walked out of the inn. His plan had failed, but Harry was more than determined to get to the blond to open up. He still had a week and a half before Malfoy left for New Zealand so he wanted to give the disguise idea another try. He would obviously have to find a different disguise and somehow he'd have to find out how to be able to morph into the same disguise should one work. Not to mention, he'd have to find a way to make sure he didn't change back so quickly. And that meant he'd need another talk with Hermione.

**XXXXX**

Being since the next day was Saturday, Harry knew Hermione would get up early and go to the library to get homework out of the way. And he was very happy to find her there.

"Hey Hermione," he said, as he sat down.

Hermione glanced up at him surprised. "Harry, what are you doing up this early?"

He shrugged, trying to pretend like he just couldn't sleep any longer. "I have a question about the transfiguration spell that we talked about."

Tilting her head curiously, Hermione blinked. "Oh? What is it?"

"Well, it worked but it didn't last very long."

"Why would you need it to last long?" she asked.

Harry swallowed, knowing if he wasn't careful she could figure it out easily enough. She was Hermione after all.

"Er, just in case if we are asked to demonstrate it in class I don't want to be embarrassed by having my transfiguration last only five minutes, you know?"

Hermione didn't look convinced but she nodded. "Sure. Well, you could use a spell to extend the effects of the transfiguration. It's _laxius morphus _but I think the most that spell can do is extend the effects up to a couple hours. There's nothing else, besides being a metamorphmagus, that could really cause the effects to last."

"That's alright. It's just for class so I just need it extended a little longer anyway," Harry said, feeling his stomach squirm at having to lie to her. "Um, actually one more thing. If you…say, want to keep a certain appearance that you're happy with, how can you keep that same transfiguration?"

Hermione's eyes widened and her mouth parted a bit. Harry suddenly felt shivers run up his spine. Had he worded it wrong? Could Hermione really have figured out what he was up to?

"Oh Harry," she said, leaning forward. "Is that what this is about?"

Swallowing, he stared at her uneasily. "What do you mean?"

"Is it for a girl?" she asked, causing Harry's eyebrows to rise. "Is that why you want to change your appearance? Harry, you should be happy with how you look! She has to like you for who you are. And you look just fine!"

"Er…thanks," Harry said, feeling relieved that she came to a different conclusion. "But I don't want to change my appearance permanently, I just want to know how it's possible to keep the same disguise, you know in case we are questioned about it on the N.E.W.T.s."

Hermione pursed her lips, obviously not believing him. "Look, Harry, it's fine if you don't want to tell me the truth. But if you really want to know, you can't keep the same exact disguise if you borrow parts from other people. The way people change things they don't like about themselves is through a potion. It takes a couple months to brew, because it's more complex than Polyjuice potion. I'm afraid there's really no other way."

Harry felt his hope dwindle. So he'd just have to find another way to follow Malfoy. If he couldn't pretend to be someone else for longer than a couple hours then he could use a disguise just to try and get as much information as he could out of Malfoy, hopefully when the blond was drunk enough not to notice, and then find a way to get to New Zealand. He'll have to go as himself, but he'd figure out a way to trail the blond without him knowing.

Harry nodded slowly. "Thanks Hermione."

"Harry," Hermione said as he was getting up to leave, "some time you'll have to tell me who she is."

"Er, yeah," Harry said, giving her an awkward smile.

Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes, murmuring what sounded like "boys". Then she began studying again as he walked out of the library. With the new spell Hermione gave him, he could extend the effects a little longer, but he'd have to have a really good idea in mind for trying to get information out of Malfoy. He'd really only get one more good shot. The blond was leaving soon. At least his plan was much more stable than the last attempt. It was time to try it once again.

Harry waited impatiently for nighttime to fall. He went out with Ron and a group of other boys to watch Quidditch practice. Apparently, Ron wanted to show-off some new tricks he learned though Harry's thoughts were constantly drifting to Malfoy and his plan so he was only vaguely paying attention. Shortly afterward, as Harry began dwelling on Malfoy even more, he suddenly took time to fly to the Ministry with an idea in mind. He met with one of the head Aurors, a young man with large glasses and a rather snobbish attitude.

"Oh, Harry Potter," he said as he answered his door. "What brings you to my office?"

"Er, actually I was wondering if you had any assignments for me."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Potter, without a Minister there's really no need for you to work for us anymore."

"It's good training for, er, for being an Auror, which is what I want to be," Harry lied. "And also I have some time off of school, since I'll be, er, studying abroad in New Zealand, so I wanted some sort of work to bring with me."

"Studying abroad?" the man frowned. "That's a bit odd for this time of year."  
Harry shrugged. "I requested it because I just need a change of scenery. I've been feeling rather suffocated lately."

"Hmm," the man replied sluggishly. "I suppose I could look for you, but there are no guarantees. Come back tomorrow."

Harry nodded quickly. "Er, thanks."

"Mmhmm," he responded half-heartedly just before he closed his door.

Walking away, Harry glanced out a window and realized the sun was beginning to go down. It was almost time. Getting on his broom, Harry decided to make a stop at Hogwarts to let his friends know he would be staying at the Ministry late, in case they became worried about his disappearance. Once he had informed Ron, he took off toward Hogsmeade hoping that his plan would go over smoother this time around.

Taking his invisibility cloak with him, Harry managed to borrow some other parts. This time he targeted only two different young men walking by. He had slightly longer brunette hair now, with longer bangs ghosting over one side of his face more than the other. His hair was stylishly messy and reached chin-level. He had dark cobalt-blue eyes, similar to the shape of his own eyes, only blue, and kept his own face as well, including nose and mouth. With the different hair style and eyes he looked different enough. And his height increased a little as well, but overall his body remained the same. Still, glancing at his reflection it was hard to believe it was him staring back.

Harry walked inside and was relieved to see Malfoy sitting in the first room relatively in the same area Harry saw him before. The owners of the inn apparently changed the room a bit and levitated many decorations. Harry supposed because they were still new that they wanted to attract more customers. There were white, black and peach-colored plush couches around—more couches than chairs now—and the stage was lit up with magical charms that made it quite dazzling. It looked like there were hundreds of glittering diamonds falling from the air and vanishing before touching the ground. As he neared the place where Malfoy was sitting just staring in the direction of the stage with a bored look on his face, Harry spotted a waiter.

"Hey, waiter!" Harry exclaimed.

It got the waiter's attention, plus other customers around, including Malfoy. Harry forced a sly grin on his face as he raised an eyebrow at the man.

"Get me an alcoholic butterbeer," Harry said, flipping coins in the air toward him.

The waiter caught them, gave him a rather nasty look and walked away. Harry acted as though it didn't faze him and then went to one of the couches nearby Malfoy and plopped down, blatantly pretending to ignore the blond's presence.

"Were you hoping to draw the attention of the entire inn?" a voice drawled coolly.

Turning, Harry raised an eyebrow toward Malfoy. "Perhaps, but that's my business."

Harry cleverly left it at that, knowing Malfoy hated to be ignored or chastised. He had planned to use the "Slytherin approach" to earn Malfoy's trust, at least enough of it to get something out of him. Harry was subconsciously surprised how naturally the demeanor came to him. His thoughts went to the Sorting Hat and what it told him, but he forced the memory away.

"Care to make this night more exciting?" Malfoy drawled.

Harry inclined his head in his direction and saw the blond smirking. It seemed Malfoy was at least interested in talking with him so he moved and plopped down on the same couch as Malfoy.

"And what would make this night more exciting?" Harry asked, making sure to sound doubtful.

"The Veela's are putting on an extra special performance tonight," Malfoy smirked suggestively. "And there's no one else worth competing with in this place."

"Gee, I'm flattered, but I don't make deals with people I don't know. Give me a name," Harry demanded.

The blond's eyes narrowed, but he soon stuck out his hand. "Draco."

Reaching out to take his hand, Harry quickly thought up a random name. "Liam."

They shook hands briefly and Malfoy smirked again. "The show starts at eleven. There should be quite a crowd so it'll be a worthwhile competition. There are only ten Veelas—ten of the most beautiful and seductive ones that work here—and there will probably be a couple hundred customers."

"I think I see where this is going," Harry said. "But it's only a little after nine right now."

"Past your bedtime?" Malfoy drawled in amusement. "I understand if you don't want to hang around. I bet you're too afraid to lose to me."

"Please!" Harry snorted. "I meant there's enough time to get relatively drunk—that way it'll be even more exciting. Are you too afraid to join me in that?"

"Getting drunk? Fine by me," Malfoy drawled.

Harry inwardly grinned victoriously. If he could get Malfoy drunk enough perhaps he could get something out of him, especially now that the blond at least opened up to him a little. The waiter finally brought him his butterbeer and Malfoy ordered one as well. Harry waited until they both had had at least three before beginning to ask Malfoy some questions as they waited. For the time being they had talked about random things, mostly the Veelas and about the Quidditch championships, but Harry felt it was time to move to a more important subject.

"So Draco, what school do you go to?" he asked casually.

The blond shrugged. "What's it to you?"

Although the blond was becoming drunk, he still wasn't drunk enough to let loose anything vitally important. But Harry had to find a way.

"Let me guess, you go to the lame Hogwarts," Harry drawled, realizing it felt weird to be unnaturally cool-sounding.

Malfoy snorted. "Used to, but not anymore."

"Really? I guess there's some hope for you yet."

The blond sneered at him. "Well, what school do you go to?"

"If you expect me to answer that, I suggest you answer my question first," Harry said, rather rudely. It had just come out that way without him even having to think about it.

Malfoy glared at him and took a large gulp of his drink. "If you must know, I've been accepted to the Embervale Academy."

"Impressive," Harry said raising an eyebrow.

Just as he suspected, Malfoy smirked with pride. "Now, tell me what school _you_ go to."

Harry shrugged. "I will if you win this bet."

The blond glared at him, obviously annoyed by his elusiveness. He didn't respond and continued to stare at him until the lights began to dim. The two of them, now intoxicated, gazed at the stage where beautiful Veela dancers appeared. Glittering, colorful spotlights were upon them and Harry hoped that after the bet was over Malfoy would be both too drunk and aroused to be suspicious of any of his questions; and perhaps the blond would even answer them completely. The dancers began seductively leaving the stage and flaunting their beauty to the audience. They stopped whenever a large sum of coins was offered to them and Harry saw that several were headed in their direction. After Malfoy watched some of them dancing, and continued sipping a butterbeer, Harry moved to the same couch and tapped the blond on the shoulder.

"Say, Draco, why are you going to the Embervale Academy?"

The blond swirled his head toward him, flushed and out-of-it. "S'for this item," he drawled, taking another sip.

Harry's heart skipped a beat and he scooted closer to the blond to make sure he didn't miss anything.

"So, er, what is this item?"

Malfoy spilt some of his drink on himself and cursed loudly. "S'none of your business."

Harry inwardly cursed and glanced up to see a Veela approaching. Malfoy sloppily levitated coins out to her and she took them. Then she started toward the blond and began trailing her fingers down his neck and across his chest. Malfoy breathed out deeply and Harry decided to take a chance when he was preoccupied.

"Malfoy, why would you transfer to such an expensive school if only to get this item? Wouldn't that be a waste of money?"

The blond released a sound as the Veela's fingers wound in his hair and then trailed down, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. Harry's eyes darted to the place where Malfoy's skin was becoming exposed. The blond's smooth, hairless chest glistened in the dim light as the Veela ran her fingers inside his shirt and then pulled away a bit. Harry realized he had been staring and quickly snapped out of his trance.

"S'not a waste of money," Malfoy said finally when she pulled away. "The school has a map somewhere of the location of it."

Harry's eyes widened. "But…why would a school be the only one with that?"

Malfoy waved his hand in dismissal, snorting a bit. "You know nothing, Liam. The map was misplaced years ago, my father s'told me," he slurred subtly. "Somehow s'it ended up there, but everyone thinks the legend is made up anyway so the map was thought to be an interpretation of the legend. They kept it thinking it'd be good information for students who want to study folklore and legends, but the idiots don't even realize what they have. S'it's okay 'cause I'll get it for myself. They won't even know it's missing," he smirked, finishing off his drink.

Unexpectedly the blond let out a small groan as the Veela began pressing her body up against his. Harry had completely forgotten about the presence of the Veela and felt his face heat up in embarrassment as the Veela began seductively rubbing her body against his. Before Harry could leap off the couch and go back to his original place, the Veela spotted his coins on the table and magically summoned them to her. Harry suddenly found the Veela on his lap, with his legs spread slightly apart, and rubbing her leg against his crotch. Malfoy was watching with interest and Harry could feel his hands begin to sweat nervously. He did not like the blond watching him, even if he was in disguise.

The Veela leaned in and pressed her soft lips to his neck. Harry took an intake of breath and tried not to show his discomfort. The Veela continued to rock against him, pushing up against his crotch though Harry was hardly becoming aroused. He figured he was too intimidated by the blond's presence to get an arousal. The Veela then slid off his lap, smiling seductively as she unbuttoned his shirt and ghosted her fingers across his bare chest. Then she went back to Malfoy, putting both hands on his inner thighs. The blond was clearly smashed for his face was all flushed and he looked a little disoriented, but he didn't seem to mind as she rocked herself against his crotch. In fact, Malfoy grabbed onto her hips and began rocking with her to the motion. Harry turned his head away, feeling embarrassed at watching them.

Just then, the Veela got up and slid her hands down across Malfoy's bare chest, ghosting over his crotch, before she seductively walked away to attend to another customer. Malfoy hissed and cursed under his breath. Not even bothering to button his shirt back up, Malfoy attempted to stand and only succeeded in falling back on the couch.

"Help me up!" he demanded coldly toward him.

Harry reluctantly went over to him and helped him stand. Malfoy latched a hand onto Harry's shoulder, gripping roughly, and began leading him away. They headed toward the back where there were stairs leading up to the rooms. The blond had to lean on him for support and didn't say a word as they both stumbled up the stairs and toward Malfoy's room. It was the last one at the end of the first hallway; Harry was grateful they didn't have to attempt going up any more flights of stairs. Malfoy fumbled with his wand to get it open and Harry nearly lost balance when the blond pushed it open but gripped his shoulder even harder to keep himself steady. They walked into Malfoy's room and the blond waved his wand carelessly to close the door. Harry didn't know what to do so he just let the blond keep a firm grip on him till he got where he needed to, which was apparently his bed.

Malfoy collapsed on his bed releasing what sounded like an irritated sigh. "Goddamn Veelas! I pay good money for them and they still only tease!"

"Er, I should probably go," Harry said nervously, knowing that his disguise wasn't going to last much longer.

"Fine, but cast a silencing charm on the door and get my pajamas for me. They're behind the bathroom door."

Not really comprehending with his intoxicated mind, Harry cast the silencing charm and slowly made his way to the bathroom where he found silk pajamas hanging behind the door. Harry took them, sighing heavily, and then came back out. What Harry saw next made him drop the pajamas and stand there dumbstruck. Malfoy was still lying on the bed, but he had thrown off his shirt and his pants. He was clad in only his boxers, which had been pulled down quite a bit and Harry could clearly see his engorged penis sticking out.

The blond had a hand around the base of his cock so all Harry could see was the basically the tip and some blond pubic hair was noticeable. Harry couldn't move for his mind was trying to catch up with what he was seeing while his body felt paralyzed. His eyes gazed at the thick erection which was leaking a small bit of creamy-white semen. Malfoy released a soft moan as he began sliding his hand up and down his penis. Malfoy's head was slightly tilted back and his eyes were practically closed. His hips began to move up and down a bit as his hand continued the back and forth motion along his erection.

Harry's eyes were riveted to the swollen tip of the penis and the way the blond's body moved in motion with his strokes. The soft sacs were hidden beneath his boxers, but the blond's hand dropped his erection to gently rub across his boxers. Harry got a clear look at Malfoy's entire length, swollen and steadily dripping pre-cum. Small, light-blond pubic hairs were noticeable at the base of the cock but the view was quickly covered as Malfoy began stroking his length again. Groaning loudly, Malfoy arched up as his hand stilled and he orgasmed over his boxers.

Harry's trance was suddenly broken as the blond came and feeling his entire face heat up in embarrassment, Harry snatched up the pajamas and threw them on the bed. Malfoy was clearly out-of-it and didn't seem to even realize Harry's presence as he darted out of the room. Harry ran, feeling the effects of his transfiguration begin to wear off as he left the inn. He flew back to Hogwarts as fast as possible and didn't even bother going to dinner. After witnessing Malfoy masturbating, he needed to find a way to get the images out of his head, lest he become traumatized by them. He decided the best remedy was to go to sleep and hope that his intoxicated mind would just erase what he had seen. The moment Harry quickly got undressed and jumped into bed, he fell asleep.

When he woke the next morning, he quickly went to the Great Hall for an early breakfast and rushed over to the Ministry. Knocking on the auror's door again, he found the man thankfully in his office.

"Oh, Potter, it's you," the young man said. "Come in."

Harry stepped into the office uncertainly and the auror went over to his desk.

"I have looked for a job for you in New Zealand to help us out and found that there isn't really much to do, except some community service that would of course make the Ministry look better. There are some job openings at some stores in New Zealand," he continued as Harry felt his hope dwindle, "and some muggle issues, creature infestations," he leafed through. "Oh and some jobs working at some schools or—"

"Wait, schools?" Harry asked eagerly. "Er, would there by any chance be a job at the Embervale Academy?"

The auror raised an eyebrow in question, but when Harry didn't offer any explanation he sighed heavily. "I can look into it. I'll have to owl the school and ask so who knows. I will owl you when I have received word either way."

Harry nodded in thanks and the auror gestured to tell him that was all. He left and went straight back to Hogwarts to make an appointment with McGonagall. He would need permission to leave school, which he hadn't worried about till then. Malfoy would be leaving in a week so Harry had to make sure he was allowed to leave. If necessary, he would take his studies with him. Now that he had gotten something out of Malfoy, he knew for certain the blond was up to no good. While he hadn't mentioned the Scale exactly, it sounded quite suspicious and Harry was determined to find out, one way or another.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

_Author's Note: I thank you all who have reviewed and given me advice on this! I know it's different from Captivation, but I still have high hopes for it! I greatly appreciate responses!_

To Reviewers: 

**Missy Padfoot: **Thanks a bunch! I'll update as soon as I can!

**Maegwin**: Lol! Yep, finally some H/D action beginning to brew, but it'll still be a couple more chapters before the real slash. Thanks so much for that compliment!! It definitely makes me feel good about this. I'll update asap!

**Kittymojo**: Aw, thank you! I'm really glad you're enjoying this! I know the romance isn't blooming as fast as it did in Captivation, but it will eventually, promise! And hopefully it will turn out at least almost as good as Captivation. Thanks a lot for that compliment! I will update asap!

**Snowfalcon**: Hehehe! Yeah, a confused Harry is always amusing. It'll get more amusing I'm sure, at least that's what I'm planning. Oh, thank you! No, I made the Ice Scale legend up myself surprisingly. It is important, as you might be able to tell from this chapter, hehe! Yep, most of what happens next won't take place at Hogwarts or even in England! But I like experimenting with different environments, so hopefully it'll work out alright. But don't worry, Hogwarts will appear again. I'll update asap!!


	7. A Successful Plan

**Pure Rhapsody**

_**Future Warning: **The next chapter has a **lime** scene, which is **not sexual intercourse**, but it is a sexual act. The actual intercourse doesn't come till a little bit later; I won't tell you when right now so I won't spoil the surprise. But when that chapter comes I'll put another warning up. _

**Chapter 6: A Successful Plan**

Days passed rather quickly and Harry knew it would only be one or two days before Malfoy would leave for New Zealand. To his relief, McGonagall agreed to let him go abroad, thinking that he needed a change of scenery due to his suffering from the war. The catch was that all of his teachers would send him his homework. Now, Harry just had to wait for a reply from the auror at the Ministry to know if he had an easy way to get to New Zealand or if he'd have to find a more difficult way.

As Harry waited anxiously for a reply, he tried not to think about Malfoy. For the past couple nights, since the night he disguised himself to get information out of the blond, he had had dreams that related to seeing Malfoy masturbate. It wasn't something he wanted on his mind constantly, but he figured he must've been so shocked by it that it stayed in his subconscious. Part of the truth was that he had been subconsciously intrigued by it; after all, he hadn't had much experience with masturbating. Mainly his experience was waking up after having wet dreams (and not remembering the dreams) or getting erections when he least wanted them.

And after seeing Malfoy's penis erect, Harry could see why the blond thought Harry wasn't as well-endowed. The first time Harry had seen him in the cave, without an erection, he saw enough to know Malfoy was probably at most a couple inches larger than Harry was. He tried to tell himself that wasn't such a big deal—that Malfoy had no right teasing Harry about _lacking_ in length, but at the same time a part of him felt envious that Malfoy had little trouble attracting girls.

Shaking his head for the umpteenth time, Harry forced his mind to concentrate on his homework. He was trying to study quietly in the common room by the fireplace, but it wasn't working. Perhaps he should've taken Hermione up on her offer to join her, Ron, Ginny, Luna and others in the library. For some reason, ever since he first bumped into Malfoy in the Ministry, Harry had been distant from his friends. He realized that he was obsessing over Malfoy; the blond took up his thoughts constantly and no matter how hard Harry tried to let it go he found he just couldn't. It was even more difficult now that he knew the blond was going to New Zealand for something other than education.

Closing his books, Harry rubbed his head wondering why everything had to be complicated even without Voldemort trying to kill him. It was when the portrait swung open that Harry snapped out of his daze. A large owl flew in with a letter attached to its ankle and Harry jumped up. Landing on Harry's arm, the owl ruffled its feathers and stuck out its leg. Harry ripped the letter open, barely registering the nipping of the owl on the collar of his shirt.

_Harry Potter,_

_I have found an assignment for you. Please come to my office tomorrow morning at nine sharp!_

_Auror McMedley_

"Finally!" Harry exclaimed. "Ow!"

He noticed the owl nipping at him and Harry dug in his pocket for a left-over cookie he had taken from dessert in the Great Hall. He gave it to the owl for payment and the bird took off. He left the rest of his homework for later and decided to go to bed early. When morning came, he got dressed rather quickly and rushed over to the Ministry a bit earlier than nine. He knocked on the auror's door and it opened.

"Sit down Potter," the auror said.

Harry did as he was told, waiting anxiously. "Er, you said you found something?"

"Yes, I did. It's at the school you requested: The Embervale Academy," he said, handing a folder over to him. "You should be incredibly grateful, Potter. That school pays very well."

"So…it's not for community service?"

"Certainly not this job. They don't usually hire people for small jobs during this time, but apparently your name goes far," the auror emphasized, making Harry shift uncomfortably in his chair. "The job details are in the folder. They said you can stay in one of the empty staff dorm rooms while you're there. That's all."

"Er, so…how long can I stay there?"

"As long as you wish. There's no deadline, but I assume you want to graduate on time?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. "So you'll have to return to Hogwarts by the time you have to take the N.E.W.T.s."

Harry nodded, hoping that'd be enough time. "Alright. Er, thanks."

"You're welcome. Now, while this may be good experience for you, Potter, just remember that it's more than working experience. Because we, the Ministry that is, are sending you it helps us look better to other communities such as the private school so that way if we ever need more aurors to recruit or anything we'll have more resources. Understand?"

"Yeah," Harry said.

"Good. I expect to hear good things when you return then."

Harry nodded as he left the office feeling thankful to get out of there. He made his way back to Hogwarts and sat down in the Gryffindor common room and opened the folder.

_**To Ministry of Magic personnel:**_

_Job requested for Harry James Potter, seventh year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_Reason: Work and knowledge experience_

_Job: Assistant to Professor Everard_

_Class: The Rise of Dark Magic_

_REQUIRED: Harry James Potter, helping as an assistant to a professor for both work and knowledge experience, must attend and pay for our N.E.W.T.s Preparation class. However, he can return to Hogwarts for the N.E.W.T.s. and ceremonial graduation. Our N.E.W.T.s preparation class starts three days from now and will go the remainder of the year until Mr. Potter returns to his former school. We will pay him 3 galleons, 5 sickles and 28 knuts per hour for the time he spends helping Professor Everard. He will not, however, be paid on the weekends. If he is interested in this job, he must owl us within five days. _

_Headmistress of Embervale Academy,_

_Ceceila Maeve_

Harry stared down at the letter in the folder for some time. He was going to help a professor at a private school. Not only that but he'd be there the remainder of the year. A part of him felt uneasy; he didn't want to leave his friends for so long, especially since he hadn't been spending much time with them lately. However, they seemed just as busy as he was with studying and preparing for the N.E.W.T.s. And without the job, Harry would have a more difficult time finding his way to New Zealand.

The portrait swung open and Hermione, Ginny and Ron entered conversing about something. Harry stood up as they came in and immediately Ginny spotted him.

"Harry!" she exclaimed, somewhat surprised.

"Are you studying?" Ron asked a bit suspiciously. "How come you didn't come study with us?"

"Er, it's…I have some news," Harry cleared his throat.

The three exchanged perplexed expressions and came to sit down near him.

"Is something wrong?" Hermione asked concerned.

"Well, er…I'm leaving for the remainder of the school year, until graduation I mean."

"WHAT?" Hermione and Ginny exclaimed simultaneously.

Ron just stared at him with his mouth slightly parted and his eyes wide with shock.

"Harry, why?" Ron asked finally.

Harry handed the folder over to him and both Hermione and Ginny came around to look. "I have a job that might help me see if I really want to be an auror."

"The Embervale Academy!" Hermione gasped. "You're so fortunate Harry! There's amazing teachers there! Oh! The teacher that you're helping is related to a very famous former headmaster of Hogwarts! His painting is even in the Ministry of Magic!"

"Geez, you really are a book," Ron grumbled.

Hermione shot him a glare and Ginny glanced up at him. "Harry, so…you'll really be gone the whole time? I mean, you don't have to take it do you?"

"I want to," Harry said sincerely. "I need to know now whether or not being an auror is really what I want to do. I think having a change of environment and helping a professor will give me enough experience to figure out what sort of career I want. And I'll be back in time for graduation."

"And the N.E.W.T.s?" Hermione asked, wide-eyed.

Harry smiled. "Of course. In fact, it says in there that I'll be taking a N.E.W.T.s preparation class there."

"Oh dragonscales!" Hermione huffed. "You'll be better prepared than all of us."

"Hogwarts has reviews for the tests in each of the classes," Ginny interjected.

"Yes, but not to the extent that the Embervale school does," Hermione sighed and glanced down at the letter again.

"Amazing," Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "The headmistress might be related to Queen Maeve!"

"Who's that?" Ginny questioned.

"She was a mediaeval witch who helped trained young people, like us, who had magical abilities. I guess you could say she was the one to first pass down magic to other witches and wizards, before Hogwarts was created. She's very well-known too!" Hermione smiled.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Is there anything you don't know?"

"Oh Harry," Hermione said, ignoring Ron's comment, "you'll have to tell me what you learn over there! Especially if your professor is related to the famous Everard, you'll probably learn tons from him! I heard a rumor a couple years ago that the brother of Headmaster Everard has studied all sources of Dark Magic, such as dragons, creatures, wizards and witches, hags, demons, you name it! If this is that brother, you'll be an expert in no time!"

"He's already an expert Hermione! He defeated You-Know-Who, twice now!" Ron exclaimed defensively.

"They're paying you nicely too," Ginny shrugged, attempting to be supportive, although Harry could tell she didn't appear to really want him to go.

He couldn't be sure of the reasoning behind it, but he hoped that she didn't want to try dating again. He just couldn't deal with that right then. He had too much on his mind and he was pretty sure he didn't have romantic feelings for her. Ron glanced down at the letter and Harry could see his eyes widen.

"They're paying you twenty-five Euros per hour! Harry, take me with you."

Smiling, Harry shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, Ron. But you know, since your dad works at the Ministry, I'm sure you could get a really good job somewhere. You may even get one at the Embervale Academy too."

"Yeah," Ron smiled. "That'll be a good plan B in case I don't get onto a Quidditch team right away."

Feeling the stirrings of envy again, Harry just nodded and covered it with a smile. "Yeah. So, er, I just wanted to let you guys know that. I was waiting until I was sure I'd get a job before mentioning it."

"Have you talked to McGonagall?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, she said I could go, but she also said my teachers will be owling me homework."

"On top of taking the N.E.W.T.s class at a private school _and_ helping a professor! You're going to be so busy!" Ginny said.

"I'm so jealous," Hermione sighed. "Wait, didn't you also say Draco Malfoy was accepted to the school?"

"_What_? How the hell did _he_ get accepted? He should be locked up in an inn being guarded by aurors!" Ron raised his voice angrily.

"His agreement is probably almost up," Hermione said. "Harry, are you sure it's a good idea with him there?"

He could hear the suspicion in her tone but he shook his head. "Hermione, it's a large enough school. Maybe not as large as Hogwarts, but I doubt I'd see him much at all. It wouldn't be any different than now."

"Harry shouldn't let him ruin his chances at figuring out where he wants to go in life," Ginny pointed out. "Although, out of all the private schools I wonder why you had to end up with that one?"

Harry shrugged quickly. "I guess just because during this time of year not many schools have job openings. Maybe the professor over there is loaded with grading papers or has too many students or something."

"Maybe, but just don't start anything with him, Harry. This is a really good opportunity for you so if Malfoy gives you any trouble just ignore him," Hermione advised.

"I will," Harry lied. "Well, I'm going to go up to the Owlry and send them a reply."

He then left the common room and rushed up to the Owlry. Thankfully, Hedwig wasn't sleeping so she was alright with sending a reply. Harry stared out the window wondering just how he was going to pull this off. Not only was he going to be busy with a job he probably wasn't going to be very interested in, since he was sure he didn't want to be an auror, but he'd have to find time to follow Malfoy around without him knowing. The blond would find out Harry was there sooner or later, but with a note from the Ministry at least he'd have an alibi. And perhaps he would learn something useful by helping a professor, especially if that professor taught specifically in all kinds of Dart Arts. If ever a Slytherin revolt came about, or even worse if Voldemort somehow returned, Harry might be more prepared. There was definitely no turning back now.

**XXXXX**

The sound of the train coming to a stop caused Harry look up from the letter he was staring at. It was the confirmation from the school, which he stuffed in his robe. Once the confirmation from the school was securely in his robe, he approached the train. He had shrunk his trunk down to pocket size and was now stepping up onto the train, hoping that Malfoy wasn't on it. In order to make the circumstance seem less suspicious, Harry wanted to get to the school at least hours, if not a day, before Malfoy to prove to the blond that he wasn't following him. Since Harry hadn't gone by the inn since the last encounter, he was unsure if Malfoy had left already for the school or if he was going to wait another day or two. Truthfully, Harry was not certain exactly _what_ _day_ the blond's agreement with the Ministry was up; Malfoy had failed to include that information, so Harry was taking a risk and hoping that he'd get there first.

He found an empty compartment and sat down to think over his plan. The train jerked into motion and Harry took in a deep breath. He wasn't sure how it would be at the school, but he was too determined to stop Malfoy to care; whatever the blond was up to wasn't good. Leaning his head back against the seat, Harry closed his eyes and tried to calm his nerves. He was going to need his strength.

The train jerked suddenly and Harry opened his eyes, blinking tiredly. He realized he must have fallen asleep. Glancing out the window, he saw that the train was coming to a stop, which meant it had arrived at his destination. Harry knew he'd have to fly a little ways, since the private school was in a secluded area where the train couldn't reach, but he didn't mind. He took off in the direction he knew the school was in. It was only supposed to be a five minute broom ride.

Sure enough, as he flew over some large lush hills he spotted a glorious castle surrounded on all sides by lush green trees. There was even a waterfall behind the castle pouring down into a small lake that seemed to weave through the forest encomposing the castle. He landed in front of it and almost gasped at its splendor. Beautifully stone-carved doors at least twenty feet tall stood before him. There was a bridge nearby the waterfall that led to a tower that was part of the castle. He took out the confirmation, as he had been instructed in the letter, and held it up. The magical emblem above the door handles, that appeared to be in the shape of a dragon (perhaps the school's symbol), glowed brightly as a small glimmer of light emitted from it and touched the parchment. Shortly after, the large doors opened magically.

Harry walked inside into a grand lobby where there was a giant statue of a dragon perched on a cliff. It appeared to be made entirely of crystal for it glistened brilliantly. As Harry examined it closely, he realized why it was made out of crystal. The magically charmed plate etched into the cliff appeared and then vanished reading: _Legendary Ice Dragon_. Staring up at the massive statue, Harry saw the intricate detail. The glittering crystal scales were sharp but elegant along the dragon's back just beneath sharp thorns that covered its tale all the way up to the top of its head. Its nose was long and its mouth was open in a roar, showing layers of glistening teeth. Its eyes were wide but beautiful beneath the thorns and scales of its head. Large wings were folded behind its back, posed as if it were ready to pounce. Sharp talons stuck out of all its feet and its long tale was curved partially around its body. Harry stared at it in fascination and also with anxiety.

_The school's symbol is an ice dragon? The legendary one…the last of its breed whose scale had been touched with the power of Excalibur. Maybe Malfoy was right; maybe there is documented information on the possible location of the Scale here. I'll have to search through their library. _

Following the directions of the confirmation letter, Harry walked past the winding marble staircases, with the steps covered by a lush red, velvet carpet, on either side of the lobby. He came to a hallway with floating torches and paintings that lined the walls. There were a couple other statues of different breeds of dragons such as the Hungarian Horntail and the Antipodean Opaleye, which Harry knew was a very common breed of dragon in New Zealand. At the end of the hallway was a large oak door. After knocking once, the door opened and Harry stepped inside.

The office was similar to Dumbledore's, or rather McGonagall's now, only smaller. It was still elegant with a plush velvet chair seated behind a large marble desk with a floating candle on it. There were stacks of paper on the desk as well and a magical quill that was diligently scribbling something down. There was a small fireplace behind the desk and another statue of a crystal ice dragon was in the opposite corner of the room, only it was a quarter of the size of the one in the lobby.

"Harry Potter, I presume."

Wheeling around, Harry saw an older woman coming toward him. She was wearing a velvet, dark-blue robe that was enclosed with a gold clasp in the shape of a dragon. The sleeves flared out almost like a medieval-style dress. The woman had long black hair tied in a pony tale that went to the middle of her back. There were a few stray bangs around her face and she had intense dark brown eyes. She was taller than he was and was probably at least in her late thirties, maybe early forties—Harry wasn't sure. Wizards and witches aged much slower than muggles and lived much longer. In fact, she looked fairly young to be a headmistress.

"Yes," he answered.

"I'm Headmistress Maeve," she nodded toward him as she came closer and held out her hand.

Harry held out his own and shook hers. "Er, hi. The letter told me to come here."

"Yes, I sent the confirmation," she said, walking over to her desk. "Do you have the payment for the N.E.W.T.s class?"

"Yeah," Harry said, fumbling to get the sack of coins out.

Smiling slightly, the headmistress took the sack and nodded to him, gesturing for him to sit down. Harry sat down as she took a seat behind her desk.

"So, the Ministry sent you because you wanted advanced experience outside of Hogwarts, correct?"

"Yes," Harry answered.

"Alright," she said, folding her hands on the desk. "The room you will be staying in is on the third floor. Unfortunately, we couldn't put you with the other professors' rooms because we have a few extra professors helping out this year, but we found an unused room at the end of the hall. It's older and smaller than most of the students' dorms, but it should do. However, if you find it unsatisfactory we can always try to find you a dorm room with the other students."

Harry nodded, hoping that the room would be fine. Although he wanted to keep an eye on Malfoy, he certainly didn't want to be any closer to him than necessary.

"Professor Everard wants to meet you and discuss with you what you will be assigned to do. His office is on the first floor if you go up the staircases in the Grand Lobby. It's the third door when you go down the first corridor. I wish I had time to give you a tour but I'm sure you can manage," she smiled, her eyes glancing at him rather mysteriously. "Any questions?"

Harry shook his head. She then raised her arm in a gesture that told him he could leave. Smiling awkwardly, Harry got up and left her office, making his way back to the lobby. He began climbing up the right staircase and jumped when he felt the stairs magically moving beneath him. The stairs took him up to the first floor and Harry got off, feeling a little wobbly. Following the headmistress' directions, he found the professor's office door and rapped softly.

The door swung open and at first Harry thought Snape was staring down at him from the shadows and almost took out his wand. The professor, once in the light of one of the torches, looked thankfully a lot less like Snape, although he had a similar cold gaze. His eyes were a dark hazel and his hair was a deep red with small streaks of grey in some areas. He had apparently shaven some time ago for he had stubble all along his chin, dripping down to his neck.

"Who are you and why are you knocking on my door this early?" he asked gruffly.

Harry opened his mouth to say it was already ten in the morning, but instead decided to leave that out.

"Er, I'm Harry Potter, and—"

"Get inside quickly!" he exclaimed, grabbing him by the collar and hurling him through the door.

Harry stumbled but caught himself on a nearby chair. The professor closed the door and crossed his arms coolly.

"You should be careful about saying your name in a magical school such as this. The dragon statues sometimes are listening and information you don't want others to know can seep out, if you're not careful," his eyes narrowed.

"Er, but why would my name be something I don't want out?"

The professor snorted. "Why? Because I'm betting every dark creature and wizard wants you dead for what you've done to the Dark Entity."

Harry's mouth parted. "Dark Entity?"

He rolled his eyes slightly. "You-Know-Who Potter! Good Merlin, for how careless you are I'm shocked you're still alive."

Harry just stared at him uncomfortably. The man reminded him of Snape in some ways only more unusual. Finally, the man sat down behind his desk and gestured for Harry to follow suit.

"Listen, Potter, normally I don't take assistants but I can tell many of the students in my class are only half paying attention! I give out surprise quizzes and many of them fail them. For such a prestigious school you'd think students would do better in such an important class! While my teaching may be hard and dense it's something that's useful for the rest of your life, as you know well by now. So, once I heard you were interested in a job here I requested the headmistress to have you aid me, since you've dealt with the worst of the Dark Arts out there. Perhaps with your personal experience, my classes will start paying more attention."

Harry felt his stomach churn as an unsettling and nervous sensation came over him. "I thought I would be grading papers or something."

The professor raised an eyebrow coolly. "You won't be doing any grading Potter; you're just a student yourself. However, you will be helping me _teach_ the class, because of your personal knowledge of the Dark Arts, seen with your own eyes not from a mere book. You will be helping to hand out assignments and students can also come to you if they have questions about a particular topic. I will do all the grading and if I get too busy I might give you small projects to do over the weekend. If that happens, I can pay you for your time since I know you won't be getting paid by the school on the weekends.

"My first class begins at nine sharp and I don't accept tardiness. I'll give you this book and guidelines to review what we're covering tomorrow. Since it's barely a week into the second semester of this year we're still covering relatively simple subjects so you won't need to relate your personal experiences right away. I will introduce you once the class begins and during the remainder of the class I suggest you take notes on my lecture so you keep on top of things in case students ask you questions. You will have this whole day to read over that book and come to my office for any questions. It would be helpful if you looked ahead into the course syllabus," he said handing Harry another piece of parchment, "so you can plan what to say to the class by next week. If anything changes the syllabus is charmed to alter to whatever I decide to add or take away. Now, do you have questions Potter?"

Already feeling overwhelmed, Harry glanced up and shook his head.

"Good. And call me either Professor Everard or Sir, understand?"

"Er, yes Sir," Harry answered.

The professor nodded with satisfaction. "Alright. I suggest you go prepare. The classroom is on the second floor, the door right next to the statue of the famous witch Queen Maeve. You can't miss her, she's holding a staff. If you get lost there will be students in the hallway you can ask. You can go now."

Harry nodded and got up clutching the book and papers in his arms. He made his way to the room that was reserved for him. It was a fairly small room, at least compared to the dorms in Hogwarts, but it was nicely furnished. The walls appeared old, but there was a queen-sized bed in the corner with soft blue sheets and a thick comforter. There was a desk with a floating candle that wasn't lit at the moment. There were quills and parchment in the desk and a small bureau against the wall by the bed. It was big enough to fit his clothes. He didn't have a large wardrobe in the first place. It had decent carpeting; overall, it was good enough. Then again, after living in a cupboard for eleven years almost anything was pleasing.

Sighing, Harry sprawled on the bed and opened the book titled: _A Guide to the Dark Arts c.1500's—1700's. _Upon skimming through it, he noticed that it had many names of the very first individuals that began using Dark Magic. Harry read some chapters and skimmed the rest. He was grateful he didn't have to prepare any speeches to the class just yet. He found himself learning a great deal about the history of Dark Magic.

Apparently, it had existed alongside all other magic at the same time that wizards and witches came about. In the past, there were Seers, or called psychics in modern times, and simple magic but it only existed with some families—the families that were born on each of the end places on earth. These families had limited magic, such as strong instincts, seemingly good luck and protection, and so forth. Over time, the magic developed into something visual—it evolved—and began causing destruction, which was why staffs, swords and wands were created to harness these evolved magical gifts so that it wouldn't get out-of-hand. The same sort of thing happened with creatures, such as dragons that once started out as unusually large lizards and soon grew to enormous heights and strength and then developed the ability to blow fire.

After several hours of reading, Harry decided to take a nap since it was close to dinner. However, because of all his plotting and worrying over Malfoy, plus the long journey, he was so exhausted that he didn't wake up until about dawn. He couldn't fall back to sleep so he got up and used a cleansing charm to wash his hair (since he wasn't sure where the showers were) and then used one to dry it. Once he felt clean, he rummaged through the bureau to find an outfit to where. He wanted to look presentable to the class since he was going to be seen a professor's assistant. He chose dark tight-fitting jeans and a long-sleeved, V-neck black shirt. The material was soft and shiny like silk, but it was actually made from the hair of a Demiguise (creatures whose hair was used for Invisibility Cloaks), only it wasn't charmed to become invisible.

He was thankful he no longer had his glasses; he still couldn't believe Fawkes had really healed his vision. Once he smoothed down his hair it was time to head to class. He wanted to be early to make a good impression. From the syllabus the professor gave him, he would have to sit through two classes before he got a lunch break. Harry was still trying to figure out how he was going to locate Malfoy and find time to follow him. Sighing, Harry headed to the classroom and found the professor sitting behind his desk.

"Potter, good you're here early," the professor said casually. "Go ahead and take a seat in the back. After the class gets here I'll introduce you and explain why you're here. You won't have to do any talking this week, but if you know any personal stories about any of the dark creatures, or wizards, that we discuss then talk to me before class so I can fit you in. Remember Potter, you're helping me teach the students which means you will be talking to them at times. And you can collect their assignments as well and answer any of their questions. Now, go on and sit down."

Harry went to the back of the room and sat down as instructed. In no time, students began filing in and Harry was grateful that his scar was covered so none of them reacted. As the class began filling up, surpassing twenty students, Harry's heart suddenly leaped in his chest when a very familiar blond entered the classroom. Harry slid down in his chair as Malfoy walked to a seat near the back but thankfully not close to where he was seated. He couldn't believe Malfoy was in the class! He wanted to know where the blond was, but he didn't want to be helping to _teach_ the class he was in! Now there was even more pressure; he certainly didn't want to screw up or make a fool of himself in front of Malfoy.

"Good morning students," the professor said gruffly, pacing slowly in front of them before stopping. "Now that you're all here I have a special announcement, but first I need to make something clear. These," he said levitating a stack of parchments from his desk, "are your quiz scores. They're absolutely terrible!" he exclaimed.

"Am I talking to myself while I'm up here?" he scolded, glaring coldly at the students who didn't dare retort. "I'm hoping you will do better to pay attention because this is the most important subject you will ever learn in your lives! And that is why we have a special guest joining us. I'm sure you've all heard of him and his accomplishments," he began pacing again as Harry felt his stomach churn uncomfortably. "He has faced various challenges and dangers in the Dark Arts and has survived, which is better than any textbook! Harry Potter," he said, gesturing with his hand.

Many gasps sounded and whispering as the class turned to where he gestured. Harry didn't look at any faces as he slid out of his seat and approached the front. He felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest at any second. He swallowed the lump that had apparently grown in his throat and turned to face the class, forcing a calm expression. His eyes scanned over the various students, most of whom were staring at him with wide eyes or open mouths, and he glanced over at the blond. Malfoy was gripping his desk so tightly that his knuckles were turning white and his eyes were narrowed and focused intensely on Harry. Quickly looking elsewhere, Harry waited for the professor to continue.

"Mr. Potter will be assisting me with the class for the remainder of the year," the professor said putting a hand on Harry's shoulder briefly. "You will be turning in your assignments to him and you can ask him any questions if you don't understand something. He will be sharing with us his experiences with the Dark Arts over the course of the semester so I advise you to pay close attention! You could be in similar situations some day," he warned, directing his gaze over the entire class. "Thank you Harry, you may sit back down."

Harry nodded, giving the class a brief smile as he went back to his seat. He was so relieved to sit down until his gaze wandered and locked with Malfoy's. The blond was glaring over his shoulder at him with such an angry expression that Harry couldn't keep eye contact. So, he faced forward and stared only at the professor as he began his lecture.

"As we discussed last time, most magic is neutral," the professor spoke coolly. "If you were paying attention, you would remember that I said magic depends on how we use it. Now, I gave you examples of certain creatures and magic that is innately evil—that is it has only the purpose to harm or kill, nothing more or less. Does anyone remember any examples?"

The class was silent and several students stared down at their quills, probably hoping not to get called on. The professor paced in front of them looking for any hands.

"Was anyone paying attention?" he asked coldly. "Mr. Potter, can you please give the class an example."

The whole class turned to look at him and Harry nervously swallowed. "Er, Grindylows are innately evil, Sir."

"Correct and can you explain to everyone what they are," the professor spoke, nodding for him to continue.

"They're pale green creatures that live on the bottom of lakes waiting for unsuspecting victims, mainly humans though they can attack other water creatures such as merpeople. They use their sharp fingers and small horns to catch and harm their prey. Then they devour them."

Professor Everard smiled. "Precisely. You see what paying attention can do? It can make you a much more prepared individual. Let's say you decide to go out swimming one night in a lake and didn't know about these creatures. If unprepared, you could find yourself underwater feeling the pain of a Grindylow's sharp horns as it stabs you to weaken you before it devours you slowly with its sharp, green teeth. Now you know the reason this class has been taught since the beginning of magical schools; it is always useful. I suggest you start taking notes!"

Instantly, parchment was taken out and quills began moving. Harry breathed out deeply and decided to take notes as well. Thankfully, he had paid attention in his Dark Arts class at Hogwarts. It was the only class he really worked hard in, mainly because of his concern about Voldemort, and it was also his best grade on his O.W.L.S. He avoided looking anywhere close to Malfoy's direction and concentrated only on taking notes.

When the class was over, Harry made sure not to get up out of his seat. Malfoy left the room seemingly in a bad mood and Harry breathed a sigh of relief once he was gone. The second class wasn't as bad and he got similar reactions, for the most part. One student in particular however was giving him a rather cold glance, reminding him of Malfoy. This student had light brown hair, very light blue eyes and appeared rather full of himself. Harry didn't know his name, but just ignored the cold glances he gave him. He knew not everyone was keen on meeting him and he was more concerned about Malfoy.

By the time lunch came, Harry made his way down to the dining hall. He was uncomfortable until a couple other boys signaled to him. Harry got up and made his way over to them, pleased that he could find someone to talk to. The day turned out rather uneventful. Harry saw Malfoy at dinner, but with the rest of the students there he just remained with the couple of boys (Drake and Luke) whom he met earlier. He got back to his room about eight and decided to study up for the next class. He knew it would get harder once he began the N.E.W.T.s class, but he was determined to find a way to handle everything.

After a couple hours of studying and thinking of various plans, he yawned and decided he should get ready for bed. He changed into his boxers and was about to get in bed when a knock came at his door. Startled, Harry quickly slipped on his dark jeans from that day and approached the door (shirtless but at least not in his underwear) wondering if perhaps Professor Everard forgot to tell him something. He opened the door and unexpectedly found himself flying backward at an alarming rate. He landed on the bed with such force that he was thrown off it and landed with a thud on the floor, straining his left arm. Groaning, Harry fought to get up and find his wand until someone appeared in front of him pointing a wand in his face.

Craning his neck upward, Harry's eyes widened when he saw Malfoy's cold gaze on him. His blond hair appeared slightly damp and his bangs were sticking to his forehead, but he was dressed in his school robe (a similar dark blue, velvet robe like the headmistress', only boys' robes thankfully didn't flare out at the ends of the arms).

"Malfoy! What the hell—" Harry didn't get to finish his exclamation for the blond jerked his wand and Harry's body unwillingly was thrown up against the wall.

Harry tried to struggle or move any part of his body but it seemed almost like he was plastered to the wall. Whatever charm or spell Malfoy had used trapped him there and his wand was unfortunately sitting on the desk too far away for him to try and reach even if he _could_ move. The only thing he could do is stare at Malfoy, with his arms bent and stuck to the wall on either side of him and his legs slightly parted and glued to the wall as well, as the blond approached him.

"I'm going to give you one chance, and one chance only, to tell me what the bloody hell you are doing here!" Malfoy hissed coldly, glaring as he kept his wand pointed at him.

"I'm here because the Ministry sent me!" Harry exclaimed, glaring heatedly back at him.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Don't test me Potter. You think I'll fall for that? You just suddenly show up at the same school _after_ I revealed to you that this is where I was going, and you expect me to believe you didn't plan it?"

"If you let me down I can show you proof," Harry said quickly, hoping that the blond wouldn't use some terrible hex on him.

Staring at him coldly, Malfoy said nothing for almost a minute before he suddenly released the spell, causing Harry to drop down ungracefully. Getting up slowly, Harry went over to his trunk by the bed and found the folder with the letter. Malfoy snatched it out of his hands and read its contents. When he was finished, he glared up at him and threw the folder on the bed.

"Even if the Ministry asked you to help them, Potter, you didn't have to come to this school!"

"Look Malfoy," Harry said slowly, noticing that the blond still had his wand out and in a position where it'd be easy to hex him. "The truth is that after you told me about the school, I still didn't believe you about it. So, I asked Hermione and she gave me this really long explanation about the school and it sounded wonderful, okay? The point is that it's a school that I really wanted to come to after she told me about it so when the Ministry asked to help out I told them I'd really like a chance to come to this school. I figured it'd be big enough so that we could stay out of each other's way and—"

"That's wonderful Potter," Malfoy drawled, narrowing his gaze. "This is a prestigious school, a school that most of the world's students want to get into. That is why I wanted to come here and I knew it would be far enough away from you. Now that you're here the school doesn't seem as welcoming. Don't think I'm completely blind, Potter," Malfoy drawled again, slowly approaching him. "Despite that you may have thought it sounded so great, I know you're still stalking me. You've always been there trying to stick your nose in my business where it doesn't belong!"

"Are you saying you have something to hide?" Harry countered, narrowing his gaze as well.

Malfoy whipped out his wand again and pointed it at him. "I don't care if you're really here on Minsitry business or not, Potter! If I catch you stalking me or thinking that you're going to try and get me in trouble just because you _think_ you know I'm up to something, I'll hex you so bad you'll have to sit on a toilet sideways just to go to the bathroom! Get it, Potter?"

"And you think you can get away with hexing me like that, Malfoy?" Harry spat. "You'll be kicked out of this glorious school you love so much and you'll probably have to go back and be babysat by the Ministry! Not to mention," Harry said approaching him slowly until they were less than a foot apart, "you're not half as intimidating as Voldemort was and I defeated him. So, don't think your lame threats are going to scare me."

Malfoy's expression turned sour for a second until his lips curled into a dark sneer. "You think you're so invincible just because you miraculously survived encounters with the Dark Lord, don't you Potter? Well I'll have you know that I keep my word and just because I'm not a Dark Lord doesn't mean I can't stop you from interfering in my life."

Harry knew it was coming before it happened. Malfoy whipped his wand up real fast and a hex came swirling at him. Dodging skillfully, Harry grabbed his wand off the desk and cancelled Malfoy's hex with a blocking charm. The blond's expression turned into one of anger and humiliation; his pale complexion was quickly turning red.

"I'm warning you not to mess with me, Potter!" Malfoy snarled nastily.

"And I'm warning you not to threaten me!" Harry retorted.

The both of them had their wands pointed at one another and Harry made sure not to blink.

"You better stay out of my face as much as possible!" Malfoy spat, keeping his wand pointed at him until he slammed his door shut.

Harry took in a deep breath, his nerves on fire from his anger, and lowered his wand. That had been a close call. Malfoy was still suspicious of him, but Harry didn't care. As long as he made sure the blond thought he was too busy helping the professor to get in his way, then it'd be easier to follow him. Harry was grateful he had remembered his invisibility cloak. Now all he had to do was keep a close eye on the blond, for if he did anything out of the ordinary or took off alone suspiciously Harry would be right behind him.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

_Author's Note: I would really appreciate more comments on this story. While I know it's not getting to the romance as fast as Captivation, and while it's not as humorous or light-hearted, I'd still like to know what people think. _

**KittyMojo: **Thanks so much for your comments! I'm glad you think it'll be just as good as Captivation! Yes, I'll try not to make you wait too long! In fact, next chapter has a lime in it so that should tide you over! But just like in Captivation, it wasn't too easy for them to come together as a couple—same is going to be with this story, but I promise you it gets more fun as it goes on! Thanks again!

**Slytheringrl17: **Thanks so much!! I'll update asap!


	8. Magical Consequences

**Pure Rhapsody**

_**Chapter Warning:**__** Lime content (HarryxDraco sexual encounter)**_

**Chapter 7: Magical Consequences**

Over the course of the next week, Harry became more accustomed to helping Professor Everard. He collected assignments and had answered several students' questions already (though many of them just wanted to know about the hell he had been through, so Harry gave them short explanations that left out many details). The one perk about being the professor's aid that Harry found most useful was that the professor had copies of all of his students' class schedules. When the professor wasn't looking, Harry stole a peek at Malfoy's schedule. It was during a class lecture and Harry was pretending to organize papers. The professor kept all students' papers and schedules in one big folder that magically grew to hold more papers when necessary. Once he knew Malfoy's schedule, it was easier to take "bathroom breaks" or even sneaking away during lunch to head in those directions.

One thing Harry did notice was that Malfoy took an awful lot of trips between classes to the library. Remembering what Malfoy revealed to him in the inn, Harry became more determined to follow him to the library. He had to plan it out so Malfoy wouldn't notice him and when he wasn't needed with Professor Everard. Progressively, another plan began to form in his mind. If he played it out right, then he could spy on Malfoy after dinner that Friday night. He was certain if Malfoy was going to do anything outside of the school it would have to be on the weekend; there was hardly any extra time to slip away during the week. And since Malfoy had been slipping off to the library quite regularly, seemingly searching for something specific in the vast shelves of books, Harry thought the blond might do something soon.

Friday came and Harry realized just how nervous he was. Or possibly he was just anxious to catch Malfoy actually physically doing something wrong. Either way, he went to the professor's classroom per usual. When Malfoy came in, since the blond was in the first class, Harry made sure to act like he was too busy collecting assignments and aiding the professor to notice him. Anytime he felt the blond's eyes gaze in his direction, Harry made sure to pretend he was overwhelmed with researching through books (while the professor was teaching). Once the class was over, Harry glanced up and stared at Malfoy's retreating back.

"Harry," the professor said, breaking his trance.

"Er, yeah? I mean, yes sir?" Harry asked.

The professor luckily didn't notice the slip. "On Monday, I want you to relate a part of your life to the class. I know they've been looking forward to it and now that you're used to how the class works I think it's time."

Swallowing, Harry nodded curtly. He had hoped he wouldn't have to, but it seemed the professor hadn't forgotten. The next class came in and Harry zoned out as the professor began the lecture. His thoughts were preoccupied with what he was planning that night. He took his lunch break soon after and noticed that Malfoy didn't appear to be in the dining hall. That made him even more nervous, but he wasn't about to go check the library. If Malfoy became suspicious that Harry was watching him closely then he might delay his plans until Harry leaves. So, he'd have to wait for night to come.

Unfortunately, waiting was not easy. Dinner came around eventually and Harry was relieved to see Malfoy in the dining hall during that time. However, the blond seemed to be eating rather hurriedly. Harry's eyes narrowed as he watched him from out of the corner of his eye. Harry finished dinner rather early and rushed up to his room to grab his invisibility cloak. He wasn't sure if Malfoy was up to something anytime soon, but because the blond had been spending so much time in the library Harry had to be sure.

So, with his cloak on Harry waited in a corner nearby the library entrance. Unlike the Hogwarts library, this school's library didn't have alarms or any restricted section. There were teachers that occasionally wandered the halls at night checking up on things, but otherwise it was a place to roam free. The drawback was that the library was at least three times the size of Hogwarts' library. That was most likely the reason Malfoy was having difficulty finding whatever he was looking for. An hour passed and Harry was becoming agitated. Perhaps he had been wrong; maybe Malfoy was going to wait until Harry was out of the school.

_Wait, he wouldn't be able to do that. He has to go back to Hogwarts and take the N.E.W.T.s too. Maybe he's just waiting a little longer to trick me or make me think he's forgotten about it or…_

Harry's head jerked up as he heard soft footsteps approaching. From the dark hallway, came a small luminous light. Fair blond hair came into view and Harry saw Malfoy's illuminated face coming closer. He held his breath and waited as the blond slipped into the library. Harry followed behind him quietly and watched from a distance. Malfoy approached a shelf and began searching around. He pulled out several books, flipping through them, and then placed them back on the shelves. Harry watched this repeat for over a half-hour until finally the blond stopped and examined the old book in his hands. The blond's eyes seem to widen and then Malfoy quickly shrank the book and stuffed it in his robe. He then rushed out of the library and Harry hurried to follow him but made sure not to get too close.

They were headed in the direction of the lobby. As they approached the stairs, Malfoy swished his wand and disappeared. Harry's heart began hammering; he knew the blond was invisible and he couldn't lose track of him. He remembered a spell to illuminate invisible objects, but instead of using it on Malfoy Harry turned his wand to his eyes. The spell encircled his irises and suddenly Malfoy appeared in front of him, walking down the stairs, with a luminous blue outline around him. Harry quietly followed the blond to the main entrance. Malfoy looked around before he waved his wand and opened the large door a crack.

As he slipped through, Harry hurried to catch up before the door shut. He managed to squeeze through just in time, but unfortunately his cloak got caught in the door. Harry struggled to get it out, but it was no use. If he didn't hurry he would lose sight of Malfoy. So Harry reluctantly slipped out of his cloak and stayed in the shadows as he continued trailing the blond. He couldn't believe Malfoy was risking so much by sneaking out at night, but he just had to know where he was going.

The walk was quite a ways; Harry realized Malfoy couldn't apparate there because he had never been there before. The blond walked up a steep hill and into a small woodsy area. The trees were so tall and thick that Harry had a hard time trying not to make any noise and keep in sight of him. There was a rocky path that led to what appeared to be a dead end; a whole bunch of poisonous plants with large thorns were positioned at the end of the path. Malfoy cursed aloud and then used his wand to try and move the plants. For twenty minutes straight Malfoy used all the spells, charms and hexes he could think of but nothing appeared to affect the plant; in fact, the huge poisonous bush seemed to be alive in that occasionally it would throb or lash out quickly to block a spell.

By the time another ten or so minutes passed, not only was the blond roughly pushing his bangs out of his face in frustration, but Harry was growing impatient. Thinking back to what Neville had often revealed about plants (being since Herbology was his favorite subject), Harry tried to remember if Neville had mentioned anything about these plants…they looked very familiar: they were a large greenish-gray and all of its branches and leaves were thick and juicy. The thorns jutted out at each inch of the plant and all the branches curled like tiny pointed arms all around itself so it looked like a huge bush. The tips of the thorns were a deep purple was what revealed that it was poisonous. Thankfully, there were no purple protruding buds, which would have meant it was a carnivorous plant.

Harry recalled the plant's name _orchidia venenumus_ and knew that this sort of plant hated Gnomes because the annoying creatures were not affected by the venom (being since they lived in gardens and in nature all the time) and loved to pick the purple buds, or even once the buds became deep purple flowers, and eat them. Very quietly, as Malfoy paced around angrily, Harry thought of the transfiguration spell and transformed a stick into a Gnome. Then he flung the Gnome out toward the bush. When hearing the sounds of the Gnome and also its landing on its rump, Malfoy wheeled around and pointed his wand at it. Seeing that it was a garden creature his eyes widened with surprise and curiosity. The Gnome, even though it wasn't a real one, had the sense of being a Gnome and therefore was attracted to the lovely bush. The _orchidia venenumus_, sensing the Gnome's presence, unfolded its thorny branches and unraveled enough so it supported itself on the thick branches. With all the branches supporting the bulk of it, the plant then moved the buds so they were hidden behind more thorny branches and suddenly skittered away.

The Gnome, being such an unintelligent creature, wondered why the bush had moved and therefore decided it wasn't a bush at all so it occupied itself with digging a deep hole in the ground. The transfiguration spell would wear off shortly and it would turn back into a stick, but now that the plant had moved Malfoy was able to follow the rest of the path. Harry continued to follow a distance behind him and was shocked to see that the path didn't lead to an opening, but rather a large, rooted tree about as thick as a troll but only as tall as a Hippogriff on its hind legs.

Entranced, Harry watched as Malfoy kicked the bottom root five times. Suddenly, the tree bent down and opened its top. Malfoy jumped down through the hollow trunk and disappeared. The tree went back to its original position. Swallowing thickly, Harry hesitantly approached the tree and mimicked what the other teen had done. Sure enough, the tree bent down and Harry climbed hurriedly through its rough bark and fell down its hollow trunk. The inside was smooth, like a hand-crafted tunnel, and allowed him to slide all the way down. He was thrown out at the end where there was a small amount of light and rolled three times in the dirt before he stopped.

When he lifted his head, his eyes widened with both shock and awe. There was a pond in the underground cavern, sitting in the center, as wide as three Thestrals in length, but there was a possibility, being a magical place, that it was enchanted to be extremely deep. However, it was the luminous glow of the pond that captured him most. All along the edge of the pond the ground had been turned a bright ruby-red and the willow tree which bent over the pond had leaves the color of rubies as well. The pond was shimmering oddly and for a minute Harry just stared, not even really thinking about the presence of the other person in the cavern, until he saw Malfoy approach the pond. Then he realized what was happening; it was the pond that had been mentioned in the Minister's letter—it was the location of the Scale!

The blond had thrown off his cloak and was now clad in his dark jeans and long-sleeved silky-black shirt. Harry quickly got to his feet as Malfoy dived into the pond. He ran toward the pond and suddenly stopped; he realized he still didn't know how to swim very well. The Triwizard Tournament was the only time he had really needed to be able to swim and he had had help from the Gillyweed. Without Gillyweed and or having practiced and been taught how to swim properly, he would have trouble beating Malfoy to the Scale. There was no way he could risk drowning at such a crucial time. Reluctantly, Harry hid by the willow tree and waited for Malfoy to resurface.

As Harry hid behind the shimmering ruby leaves of the willow tree, he crouched low and watched the pond for any signs of movement. For ten minutes he stared unblinking. His legs began to ache so he put a hand on the ground to keep steady. He caught sight of bubbles and as soon as a glimpse of blond hair reached the surface Harry instantly tensed. Malfoy broke the surface, gasping for air, and appeared to be clutching a small object in his hand. Harry nearly lost balance as he leaned forward to get a closer look. Malfoy stroked with one arm heading to the shore. Harry peered through the branches and waited until Malfoy was climbing onto the shore before he whispered "_accio_ object".

The item flew from Malfoy's hand, causing him to fall over in surprise, and landed in Harry's hands. It appeared to be a small ancient box, but Harry didn't take time to examine it. He ran as fast as possible away from the willow tree and toward the opening of the cavern.

"POTTER!" Malfoy snarled loudly, rushing to get to his feet.

Harry knew once he got outside of the cave, and out through the old tree trunk, he could apparate back to the entrance of the school. However, he didn't anticipate a spell jetting toward him with accurate aim the second before he reached the opening. He was hurled backward, but he managed to keep hold of the box tightly in his arms as he fell.

Harry scrambled to get to his feet, but could only roll out of the way of another hex. Malfoy came running at him and Harry managed to pull out his own wand and think _expelliarmus_. Because the word hadn't left his mouth, and had been in his mind, it wasn't as strong, but it did the trick since Malfoy couldn't anticipate it. The blond's wand flew from his hand and into Harry's, but just as Harry thought he had the upper hand, Malfoy lunged at him. Both of the wands fell out of his hand and rolled away from them. Harry fought, but because he was using one hand to keep a hold on the box, he couldn't defend himself very well. Malfoy managed to pin him down after punching him in the gut.

"Give me that box Potter!" Malfoy shouted, glaring at him intensely. "I should've known you'd follow me!"

Harry tried to push the blond off of him but every time he tried, Malfoy twisted his wrist painfully. The blond was still soaked so droplets of water were falling onto Harry's face and shirt.

"I knew you were up to something!" Harry shot back, breathing deeply as he fought to get loose.

"Well, congratulations!" Malfoy spat sarcastically. "And I knew you were pathetic enough to follow me here! Let go of the goddamn box or I'll—"

Harry's knee suddenly sprang loose and accidentally rammed Malfoy between the legs. The blond hissed and both of his hands released Harry's and went to his crotch, which he cradled. Harry dragged himself from beneath him and got to his feet. Before he could run, Malfoy managed to reach out shakily and grab his wand. Being since his one hand was holding his sore crotch, he shouted a hex and swished his wand in a rapid, careless movement.

Unexpectedly, Harry soared backward and skidded harshly on the ground right next to the pond. The force of his fall caused his body to topple over sideways into the pond. Harry thrashed and reached up a hand to quickly grab at the shore. He managed to pull up back onto shore just as Malfoy grabbed him roughly by the robe and threw him down on his back. Roughly getting atop him, Malfoy pinned him down again, but this time the blond sat on his legs so he couldn't knee him in the crotch. Harry struggled beneath him as Malfoy tried to pry the ancient box out of his hand.

"Give it to me Potter!" Malfoy snarled heatedly.

"What…," Harry began as he fought to keep hold of the box, "what the hell do you want with it?"

"That's not your business!" Malfoy snapped.

"So I was right not to trust you!" Harry shouted back as Malfoy twisted his wrist painfully. "You were working for Voldemort all along weren't you?"

"And I was right that you being here was all a set-up!" Malfoy exclaimed, twisting Harry's wrist hard enough so the box slipped out of his grasp.

The blond scooped it up and rolled off of him. Harry jumped up and started to chase him, but Malfoy snatched up his wand. Halting, Harry glared at the wand that was now pointed at him.

"I warned you not to mess with me Potter," Malfoy sneered, holding the box up to prove his victory.

The blond made a move to step backward and stumbled. Harry didn't see anything that could've caused him to trip but Malfoy wobbled a few times unsteadily. The box almost slipped from his grasp, but he managed to catch it before it fell. Shaking his head, the blond lifted his wand back up and kept it pointed steadily at him. Harry glanced at his wand which was lying five feet from where Maloy was standing.

"Malfoy! If you don't give me that I…," Harry trailed off as he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness rush over him.

Harry's legs felt weak beneath him and he nearly collapsed to the ground. Glancing up Harry thought he'd find the blond long gone, but to his surprise Malfoy seemed to be having a hard time standing as well. Something strange was going on—something magical—and Harry bet it had something to do with the Scale. Struggling to stand on his shaky legs, Harry walked over to where Malfoy was crouched and breathing heavily. The box lay in front of the blond and Harry hesitantly picked it up. There seemed to be no lock on it at all, just a small purple gem on the front. Harry pushed it and the box made a clicking noise as it opened.

Once the box completely opened, Harry peered inside and saw a folded piece of parchment. His eyebrows furrowed as he picked it up. There seemed to be nothing else in the box except for the parchment; nothing that resembled a glimmering dragon's scale at all. Harry opened the parchment and read it:

_Far beneath the sod so deep,_

_My place of birth now where I sleep, _

_The stench of death, it lingers here,_

_An icy figure that once dwelled near,_

_The precious keepsake I dare not part,_

'_Ere it remains inside my heart._

Harry folded the parchment in frustration and stuffed it in his robe. All there was in the box was an old poem, nothing more.

"It looks like it doesn't matter," Harry spoke up finally. "There's nothing in here."

He turned to glance at the blond who lifted his head and blinked. Malfoy's slightly damp blond bangs clung to his forehead just above his eyes, which suddenly looked very different. Without the mean taunts and sneers and without his eyes always being narrowed, the blond looked almost…kind. His eyes were wide, a delicate oval-shape, but still held the strength and stubbornness beneath the silver-blue orbs. Harry blinked several times and shook his head. Malfoy appeared a bit dazed and Harry opened his mouth to say something but only found himself moving closer to the other boy.

"Malfoy?" Harry prodded; his voice just above a whisper.

Gently, he placed a hand on the blond's shoulder and the other boy looked up into his eyes. They stared for some time and Harry completely forgot about the box and the Scale. His scar was tingling, not painfully, but in a way that should have made Harry realize something unusual was going on. All he did however was stare into the blond's eyes and watch as the glimmer from the pond reflected in them. Malfoy's eyebrows furrowed in slight confusion and then he suddenly leaned forward.

Harry was too dazed himself to react or even think about what might be happening. He felt the blond's warm lips upon his own and all thought fled from him. Harry's eyes closed instantly and he leaned in, pressing his lips passionately against the blond's. He tilted his head and reached out his arms which wrapped around Malfoy's shoulders. Harry scooted closer automatically and unexpectedly parted his lips as he pressed his mouth more firmly upon the other boy's. Malfoy responded by reaching up a hand and grabbing Harry at the bicep as he pushed his tongue between Harry's lips.

The hot wet tongue slid across Harry's and instantly his own tongue responded by pressing against the blond's and even slipping inside Malfoy's mouth. Their tongues explored one another's mouths and Harry felt his body shudder as he became more and more aroused. Malfoy's hand moved from Harry's bicep down his side and began undoing the button of his pants. Harry groaned through their kiss and spread his legs as the blond unzipped his pants and slid his hand inside. The warm hand nudged Harry's hardening crotch through his boxers and Harry broke away from the kiss briefly and released a quiet moan. He gasped slightly when the blond's hand found its way inside his boxers and brushed up against his arousal.

Malfoy's hand brushed across his thigh and toward his erection. He squeezed it gently and Harry tightened his grip around the other boy, groaning loudly. The blond was breathing heavily and leaned back down to kiss him. Harry responded by jerking his hips as the blond stroked him seductively and instantly slipped his tongue inside Malfoy's mouth once again. Their kissing became more passionate as Malfoy moved his hand up Harry's length and back down. Harry was almost completely erect and he was moaning consistently, the sound vibrating in the back of his throat.

Harry moved a hand from around Malfoy's shoulder and toward his pants. The blond instantly moved his free hand and undid his own jeans, pulling them down over his hips. Harry moved his hand and felt for the blond's opening in his boxers. His fingers found Malfoy's erection and he heard a guttural moan vibrate from the back of the blond's throat. Harry felt his arousal and wrapped his hand around the tip, slowly sliding back to the base. His hand brushed against the blond's pubic hair and then Harry moved his hand back up. He mimicked the same movements that the blond was doing to him. The both of them were panting and moaning, continually sliding their tongues together.

Harry was so hard he was aching and he began thrusting his hips against the motion as the blond squeezed and stroked him. He continued to massage the blond's erection and even fingered the tip, which was dripping pre-cum. The blond broke the kiss and moaned loudly thrusting his hips harshly. This caused the blond's stroking to speed up and Harry almost lost his concentration. Suddenly, Malfoy's fingers slipped away from his erection. He continued to stroke and squeeze the blond, speeding up his own movements even though the blond had stopped when he had been so close to…

Harry suddenly squeezed the blond's arousal hard and gasped, his hips jerking in reaction as he felt one of the blond's fingers slip inside of him. It was enough to finish him off and he released his orgasm. Groaning breathlessly as the finger slid out of him, Harry stilled his movements on the blond's erection. Malfoy, whose erection was large and throbbing, slid his boxers down off his hip. Harry was still in a euphoric daze from his orgasm when the blond grabbed his shoulders and forced him to lean forward. Harry allowed himself to be pulled down and soon found his face near the blond's arousal. Staring at the tip, he hesitated uncertainly. Malfoy brought his hands up to Harry's neck and tugged, bringing his lips against the erection.

Harry's mouth closed around the tip and the blond moaned, tightening his grip around Harry's neck. Tonguing the organ in his mouth, Harry moved and allowed more to slide in. As he did so, the blond groaned and lifted his hips in response. He couldn't hold himself up and therefore sat back on the ground as Harry was pulled down with him. Harry sucked, feeling the erection throb in his mouth, and pulled up a little. Then he went back down after sucking on the tip and continued the pattern for several more minutes. Suddenly, the blond's erection quivered in his mouth and something warm shot out. Harry pulled away and spit the substance on the ground, coughing and spitting.

Blinking several times, Harry opened his eyes and saw the glimmering pond, the ruby-leaved willow trees and suddenly remembered where he was. The bitter taste was in his mouth and Harry knew exactly what he had done. He spit several more times hoping that he hadn't done what he thought he had. He heard a zipper and turned to see Malfoy pulling up his pants. The blond was looking a bit confused himself and suddenly snatched up the box. Wheeling around, Malfoy caught sight of him and his eyes narrowed.

"I'm surprised Potter," Malfoy drawled, his lips curling in a smirk. "I don't know how you managed to overcome me, but I didn't realize you swung that way."

"You think I _wanted_ to do that?" Harry shouted, feeling his heart race and his face heat up in embarrassment. So he had done what he dreaded…he had given Malfoy a blow-job.

"Obviously," Malfoy drawled. "Despite your lame attempts at seduction Potter I've still won," he said, gesturing to the box.

"Oh yeah, if that's true then how come you didn't stop me?" Harry shot back angrily.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "There must have been some sort of defense spell on this box, which temporarily put me in a trance. That's why I don't remember how the hell your mouth got on my cock."

"I touched the box too!" Harry shouted defensively.

Snorting, the blond raised his eyebrows. "I don't care for your excuses Potter! It disgusts me enough to think of you being anywhere near my genitals. And now you can go back to Hogwarts where you belong since I've got the Scale, understand? I don't want to ever see your face again!"

The blond then turned on his heel and walked out of the opening, leaving Harry still kneeling on the ground. Spitting once more in disgust and anger, Harry wiped at his mouth and slowly stood up. He drudgingly approached his wand and picked it up. As he bent down, something ruffled in his pocket and Harry reached inside and pulled out a piece of parchment. Upon opening it, his eyes widened in remembrance. He had already opened the box and all that had been in there was the poem. So Malfoy hadn't won! He wasn't about to go back to Hogwarts just yet.

Once outside, Harry apparated back to the school. As the doors opened for him, he searched for his cloak that had been left behind, but it wasn't there. The doors closed and Harry looked around, wondering if Malfoy had taken it.

"Harry Potter," a cool voice spoke.

Harry jumped and turned around. His heart nearly fell out of his chest when he saw the headmistress approaching him and in her arms was his invisibility cloak.

"I take it this is yours," she said sternly.

Harry swallowed and nodded bluntly. "Headmistress, I…," he stopped when she held up her hand.

"I'm going to keep this for the remainder of the semester. I don't tolerate students sneaking out past bedtime, whatever your reasons. Now, I'm going to give you another chance because I believe in second chances and I've heard many great things about you. However, I have also heard rumors of your ability to get yourself into trouble. I better not see you out of your room after hours again, Mr. Potter, am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am," Harry said quietly.

She nodded and then turned around. Harry trudged up the stairs, feeling worse than ever. He should've suspected that opening the doors to the castle wouldn't go unnoticed, especially by the headmistress. He wondered if it was just the noise or if perhaps there was some magical alert that was triggered when the protection spells were on. Either way, he had gotten caught and yet somehow he felt as though he was the only one. She had said nothing about discovering Malfoy after hours so perhaps the blond had gotten back just in time.

The next morning, Harry was not only tired and irritated but he remembered that he would have to get up and talk in front of class. Reluctantly, he made his way there not wanting to see Malfoy quite yet. He still couldn't believe what had happened between them…And yet, he knew Malfoy had kissed him back but the blond claimed to be under a spell caused by the Scale. The thing was that there _wasn't _a Scale. And Malfoy probably realized that when he opened the box the other night, which Harry had no doubt he had. During his lunch break, Harry planned to go to the library and research the Pond of Desires. If there was no Scale, then Harry didn't know what else could've put them in a trance, if that's what they were in. He really didn't remember enough to be able to figure out _what_ had happened, but he knew he had to find out.

The professor was already there and he smiled at Harry and gestured for him to take a seat nearby his desk. Swallowing nervously, Harry sat down and waited as the class came in. Malfoy sat in the middle as usual and when he spotted Harry he glared at him, obviously angry that he was still there. He also bet the blond was furious at finding no Scale. Once the class was seated, the professor stood in front of them.

"Today class, you will be given the privilege of hearing one of Harry Potter's live accounts. As you know, we've been studying innately evil creatures for the first part of this term. So now I'll give the floor to him."

Harry stood up and purposefully didn't glance anywhere near Malfoy's direction.

"One rare innately evil creature that I've seen and was attacked by personally is the Basilisk," Harry said.

The professor's eyebrows rose in awe and many students were staring open-mouthed. Harry continued, trying to ignore all the eyes on him (especially a certain blond's gaze).

"A Basilisk is unique because it's not born normally. This creature is wizard-bred, which means it's created magically. The first known creator of it was Salazar Slytherin. All Basilisks are green in color and can reach up to fifty feet. They have long, poisonous fangs and yellow eyes that can paralyze. I was fortunate enough to have a phoenix with me, which is not affected by the Basilisk's gaze. And it gauged the snake's eyes out so I couldn't get paralyzed."

The students gasped in awe but Malfoy just clenched his fists and continued to glare. Harry ignored him and continued, walking back and forth at a slow pace as he spoke.

"The crowing of a rooster can kill it. There are only two vulnerable spots on a Basilisk: the eyes and the inside of its mouth. Its skin is like that of a dragon's scales, meaning that stunning spells and even hexes are useless against it. However, Basilisks are rare because only a Parselmouth can control it."

A hand rose in the air and Harry cleared his throat. "Er, yes?"

The hand belonged to a girl with strawberry-blonde hair, which flowed a little past her shoulders. She had short bangs that fell straight over her eyes and she had dark blue eyes. All in all, she was rather attractive.

"How is it that you survived?" she asked eagerly.

"Oh, well I summoned a sword and I had to reach high ground because this Basilisk was at least thirty feet. Once I was high enough, when it came at me blind, I stabbed it through the roof of its mouth. Despite that it was its vulnerable region, its fang came down and got impaled in my arm."

The girl's eyes widened and several students' winced, but Harry just shrugged. "Lucky I had a phoenix. It used its tears to heal my wound. Er, any other questions?"

Several hands shot up in the air and Harry felt his nerves rattle. Smiling awkwardly, he chose a boy with dark brown hair and hazel eyes.

"If Basilisks can only be controlled by Parselmouths, then how did you even encounter one?" he asked suspiciously.

"Er…," Harry hesitated and glanced at the professor who only nodded for him to continue. "Well, Voldemort is a Parselmouth," he said as the entire class shuddered at the name. "And he's also the Heir of Slytherin and he was the one who summoned it."

Glancing at the next person, Harry called on them. The other boy leaned forward: "So, what if you could speak Parseltongue? Would you be safe?"

"Er, no. I can also speak Parseltongue and that didn't save me one bit," Harry said.

Many students laughed at it and Harry smiled, feeling less nervous. Finally, he called on the last raised hand.

"If it's magically created, are there still two genders? And if so, could they breed normally?"

"Er, there is a male Basilisk and a female one. The males have a red feather on their head. They could breed, I guess, but it's not common. Besides that, Voldemort and I are the last living wizards who can speak Parseltongue and most people won't summon them because without being able to speak the language they wouldn't be able to control it."

"Thank you, Harry, that was very insightful," the professor said, smiling.

The class clapped and Harry sat down, relieved that it was over. The professor took over and continued his own lecture. The next couple of classes, Harry had to do the same thing but he became more confident each time. One person asked him how it was possible that he could speak Parseltongue and Harry had to answer that he wasn't sure. The professor had cut-in to say that Parseltongue is normally passed down through blood and that if a distant relative of Harry's could speak it then it was possible it had remained dormant until Harry was born. He decided not to mention that it could be Voldemort's ability. Another student had asked where the Basilisk came from and Harry had to tell them about the Chamber of Secrets, which got the class all riled up in asking him about that legend. The professor let him talk briefly about it and then he had to continue his lecture. Overall, it had gone fairly well. Some students had been doubtful, but Harry didn't mind; he could hardly believe he had survived in the Chamber.

During his lunch break he had wanted to go to the library, but he had been approached by many students asking him details about his survival. And others asked for help on the up-coming essay. So, Harry had to wait until dinner to head toward the library. Unfortunately, his path was blocked by none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Where is it Potter?" Malfoy hissed.

Harry glared at him. "Where is what?"

"The Scale!" Malfoy said quietly. "If you don't give it to me—"

"I don't have it. The box was empty. I opened it before you did and there was no Scale. Obviously, someone must've gotten to it first probably centuries ago."

Malfoy scowled. "Then what the hell are you still doing here, if that's true?"

"I'm finishing what the Ministry sent me here to do! Despite what you think, I have a duty to be here. And I want to get my experience," Harry snapped.

The blond approached him until they were less than a foot apart. "If you even think about giving me any trouble while you're here Potter I'll reveal to the entire school, which apparently _adores_ your heroic tales, that you sucked me off. What do you think your _fans_ would think of you then?" he sneered.

Harry's fists were clenched tightly by his side and it was taking all of his will power not to hex him right there.

"Malfoy, I don't care what you think but I'll have you know I did not wish to have your cock in my mouth."

Malfoy's eyebrows rose. "You seemed eager enough the other night."

Harry made a move to take out his wand but Malfoy smirked and narrowed his eyes. "I wouldn't if I were you Potter. Don't want to get kicked out, do you?"

The blond smirked again, rather satisfactorily, and then stalked past him. Harry was left inwardly fuming in the middle of the hallway. He stomped off to the library, wishing that Malfoy would suddenly lose his voice. He got to the library and searched for the Pond of Desires. It took some time to figure out what it was located under. Harry finally found a couple pages on it under _Myths and Folklore: Magic from Around the World._ Skimming the page, Harry read through it and suddenly had to stop and read it again.

"This can't be right," he whispered aloud, his eyes furrowing in shock. He re-read it slowly just to be certain:

_The Pond of Desires was found by a poor potion-maker named Arsenius Jigger, the author of the book __Magical Drafts and Potions_(Harry remembered reading that book during his fifth year—it wasn't his favorite)_. Back during that time about the early nineteenth century, Jigger called it the Pond of Wonders, because it was so beautiful and appeared never to run out of water. Jigger was not the first to discover it—there are some ancient records about a glimmering pond in the early sixteenth century by an old medicinal healer, whose name still remains unknown to this day. Back in the sixteenth century, the pond was used as a sanctuary during wars or bad times. Jigger used the pond water in his potions. However, it wasn't until the mid-nineteenth century that the pond's name changed to the Pond of Desires because it was discovered, after a series of tests done by aurors, that any witch or wizard who touches or drinks the water is magically affected by it. _

_The pond's water contains some sort of natural Veritaserum-like substance, but instead of telling the truth, the witch or wizard will act on suppressed desires or dreams. Normally, the effects don't last for long. If taken orally, the water's affects will last up to a day (depending on the amount of intake, but it's estimated the effects won't last more than a few days due to the fact that the water will eventually find its way out of the person's system). If the person touches the water, the affects can last from five minutes to a couple hours. Studies show that the pond was probably created by the magical abilities of mer-people for whatever purpose. It is assumed that the pond, used by the magic of mer-people, acts as a life-support for them and has the power to heal them, but for regular witches and wizards it brings out their hidden wishes or feelings. _

Harry stopped reading and slowly put the book down. He was trying to comprehend what the book was saying but he just couldn't believe it. From what the book revealed, Harry (and Malfoy too) had acted on their suppressed desires. That meant that in order to do what they had done, they both had to have been already attracted to one another, whether subconsciously or consciously. Harry turned the idea over in his mind, but he just couldn't see that being possible. He and Malfoy despised one another; there was no way he found the arrogant blond attractive. There must've been some other explanation.

Throwing the book back on the shelf, Harry went to dinner. After eating enough to satisfy him, and getting tons of awed stares from students around him (probably his Basilisk tale seeped out to the entire school), he went to his room. After changing into his boxers, Harry pulled out the parchment that had been in the ancient box, which he had hidden in his trunk. He read the poem a few times and lay down on the bed. It just didn't make sense; why would the Minister believe the Scale was in the Pond of Desires if there was only the poem? Had someone gotten there first? Sighing, Harry slipped the parchment back in his trunk and decided to get some sleep. He knew that his trouble with Malfoy was probably only just beginning.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

_Author's Note:__ Sorry about the delay in updating. School was SUCH a pain, but now that I'm FINALLY done I'll have more time. I do hope to have this finished by the summer. I'm updating quite a few other stories as well. Thanks for being patient! Oh, and the romance is coming up shortly!!!_

To Reviewers: 

**Slytheringrl17: **Thank you very much! I'll update asap!

**Branwen777: **Aw, thanks! Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't like weak-Harry either. Also, I really don't like it when people make Harry so girly in many HarryxDraco stories, you know? It just creeps me out; Harry's no where near girly, neither is Draco despite his pretty-boy appearance. I agree, not only does Hogwarts sometimes hold Harry back but I just get sick of writing about it. It becomes too boring, so I like a change of scenery. Aw, thanks so much!! I will update asap!

**Missy Padfoot: **Thanks so much!! I'm glad you're liking this so far! No, sorry, Draco's not going to be Harry's roommate. It just wouldn't make sense that the headmistress or someone would just randomly stick them together in one room. It would of course make for great yummy scenes, but I promise more will come shortly without them having to room together. :-)

**5mOk3y: **Thank you!! Lol! Yes, I do think that would be too predictable and much too easy if they were to be in the same room. So, no, they're not going to be roommates, but I promise the romance is coming shortly!

**Maegwin: **Thanks so much! Let me know what you think of this chapter! I will update asap. :-)

**Snowfalcon: **Hehehe, thanks! Yeah, I guess that scene in the inn was somewhat similar to the scene at the party in Captivation. Well, the sexual encounters have to begin somewhere. And in this story it's more difficult because there's more heated "hate" and dislike between Harry and Draco. But I promise more romance is coming shortly! Haha, yeah, Harry's still in denial. He's not going to figure it out real quick in this one. Yes, I am somewhat obsessed with Demiguise clothing, mainly because there aren't many creatures in the Harry Potter world that we really know for sure are used for clothing. I could make some up, but sometimes it's just easier to use what J.K. Rowling provided. :-) Lol! Yes, Harry up against the wall is definitely a good sign, huh? Hehehe! I will update asap!

**Hkph: **Aww, thank you!! I'm so glad you're enjoying this just as much! That makes me feel good. Yeah, there is a lot going on in this; more than just HarryxDraco stuff, but I promise more romance is coming shortly! I will update asap!

**ScorpioPhoenix: **Aww, thanks so much! I'm so glad Captivation inspired you! Yes, that's my baby…I'm very proud of that story, and I know that this one has a very different feel to it. Captivation really came easy to me and I finished it within two months (maybe because it was over the summer) and this one has more dynamics to it, especially the well-known and obvious hate-competitive relationship between Draco and Harry. But I figure I wanted to try a different angle and take the Draco Malfoy directly from the Harry Potter books and try out this new plotline to get them together. I know Harry seems too obsessive, but that's part of his denial about him being attracted to the blond; he just doesn't realize that yet. :-) Have no fear, the sexy slashness is definitely coming! I actually like the animosity toward them, which I did to in Captivation just not to this degree. I figure it might be even more realistic this way because Draco is a real nasty prick in all the Harry Potter books. Anywhoo, have no fear! More romance is soon to come! Promise! Thanks for sticking with me and I hope this turns out just as good! Oh yes, vampires will re-emerge; they don't have a huge role but you will see them again. I'll update asap!

**Iluvmyterrier: **Awww, thanks so much! I'm really glad you liked Captivation. And I'm very happy to hear you're enjoying this one too; that makes me happy! I know it's got a different feel than Captivation, but I have big plans for this one (which I hope to update more consistently now) and more romance is soon to come! I'll update asap!


	9. Seductive Influences

**Pure Rhapsody**

**Chapter 8: Seductive Influences**

The next day went by slow because Malfoy continued to taunt him about what had happened between them. Harry couldn't even find any come-backs to throw at the blond. During class the blond smirked at him and made rude gestures, such as sucking on his finger as if he was trying to get something off it. And then during meals in the dining hall the blond would stare at him and send other smirks and sneers alongside making it look like he was about to whisper to the student beside him what Harry had done.

Harry's resolve crumbled and that the next day he went to the library and took the book that had the information about the Pond of Desires. Hiding it beneath his robe, Harry headed for class. Thankfully, the professor hadn't needed him to get up in front of the class again; at least not yet. Per usual, the students came in and Malfoy threw him a sneer. Harry just glared at him and looked away. The class went on as usual and the entire time Harry stared down at the assignments that the students had turned in and pretended to be so entranced by looking through them.

Once class was over Harry waited until Malfoy had left and then followed him. Harry knew from the blond's schedule that he had a short break before his next class. He waited until they weren't surrounded by students and then hurried to catch up to the other boy.

"Malfoy!" Harry shouted.

The blond glanced over his shoulder and smirked at him, but he didn't stop walking.

"Stalking me again, Potter?"

"Would you stop for a minute?"

"And why would I do that?" Malfoy drawled.

"I have something to show you!" Harry snapped.

The blond finally halted and spun around, raising an eyebrow.

"Something to show me? I get it Potter," Malfoy smirked as his eyes glistened in amusement.

Harry's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You want a repeat performance do you? I told you that you don't have anything spectacular to show," Malfoy's eyes glanced downward at Harry's crotch.

Harry clenched his jaw and glared at him. "Malfoy, shut the bloody hell up. All I want to show you is this," he said, taking the book out of his robe. "It's a book about the Pond of Desires."

Malfoy crossed his arms and stared at it, looking uninterested. "Why would I care about that?"

"Because, the box was at the bottom of the Pond of Desires; I know you know about that. You went in the water, and I fell in the water too. It was the water, see?" Harry opened the book the pointed to the passage. "The water, it says, is magical. Something to do with the mer-people, but if you go in the water it puts you in a trance-like state. _That's_ what happened to us!"

Harry slammed the book shut, not wanting Malfoy to read the entire passage to find out that the pond only brings out hidden desires.

"So you can drop the crude gestures and whatnot; this proves it wasn't my fault."

Malfoy snorted and uncrossed his arms. "Fine, Potter. So the water was magical. Then how come you sucked me off and I didn't do anything to you?"

"You did!" Harry snapped. "You were the one who leaned down and kissed me first. It all started because of _you_!"

Malfoy's smirk faded and he glared. "I don't remember starting it, Potter. But if I did it was obviously because I was in the water a hell of a lot longer than you."

"Malfoy!" Harry threw up his hands in frustration. "What the hell is wrong with you? For everything you did, you have some lame excuse for. And even though my circumstance is the same as yours you say that it's my fault and that I wanted to do that! Well, did you _want_ to kiss me?"

"Of course not Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed, uncrossing his arms indignantly.

"And I _didn't_ want to suck you off! Get it?" Harry retorted.

Harry was extremely thankful for the deserted hallway and Malfoy breathed in deeply and then sneered.

"Fine, Potter. Whatever you say. Just stay out of my face from now on."

The blond whirled back around and stalked down the hallway; he turned the corner, leaving Harry standing there alone. He had managed to defend himself, but the blond still acted as though he had somehow won.

The rest of the day passed a lot more quickly, but Harry was still furious with the blond for being an arrogant, stubborn arse. Dinner came and as Harry entered the dining hall he spotted Malfoy sitting with the same people he usual sat with. Other than in class or the dining hall, Harry didn't notice the blond hanging out or being amiable to others; either Malfoy was just entertaining himself so he wouldn't be bored, or he had other things on his mind than making new friends.

After dinner, Harry trudged slowly toward his room deep in thought. The last thing he expected was to see Malfoy turn the corner, walking in the opposite direction, facing him.

"Well, Potter, got any more excuses to tell me?" the blond drawled nastily.

Harry glared at the blond from the other side of the hallway as the blond began to pass, smirking all the while.

"No, but you didn't win," Harry snapped, feeling the anger bubbling inside of him.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Considering that your mouth was on my dick regardless of what caused you to lose your marbles, I think I did."

That was the last straw on Harry's resolve. "I have the goddamn poem, Malfoy! That means _you've_ lost!"

The other boy suddenly stopped and wheeled around, his eyes widening as fury etched into his features.

"You said the box was empty! POTTER!"

Harry realized what he had blurted out and before he could even attempt to think of an excuse, he dashed down the hallway.

"COME BACK HERE!" Malfoy snarled, chasing after him.

The blond ran after him down several hallways before Harry unfortunately found himself at a dead-end where a couple of storage closets were. Harry wheeled around and took out his wand, but Malfoy dodged out of his aim. The blond threw several hexes toward him, but Harry dodged each one of them and unexpectedly through a leg-binding curse, which Malfoy did not move out of the way in time.

Once the blond was on the floor squirming to get his legs unstuck, Harry made a move to run in the opposite direction. However, Malfoy threw a paralyzing spell at him and Harry unfortunately tripped over his own robe as he tried to dodge it. The spell hit him in the arm and he felt all his muscles freeze up. The curse Harry had managed to hit him with wore off first and Malfoy instantly approached Harry. He grabbed him by the robe, hurled him to his feet and slammed him against the wall with his back facing him.

Harry was grateful he no longer needed glasses because he was sure they would've shattered. Malfoy was crushing his elbow into the center of Harry's back with one arm and with his other hand he was holding the back of Harry's neck, pushing him further into the wall.

"You have exactly five seconds to tell me what the poem is and anything else that was in the box _and_ where you put it!"

The paralyzing spell was beginning to wear off but Harry couldn't move much anyway with Malfoy holding him roughly.

"It was just…a poem." Harry struggled to talk through the spell. It made it more difficult because the side of his face was scrunched painfully against the wall.

"If it was just a poem you wouldn't have taken it!" Malfoy snarled.

Harry struggled as the paralyzing spell weakened and the blond unexpectedly pushed his body flush against his. His knee pressed into the back of Harry's thigh painfully and his chest was brushing up against Harry's back, even though Malfoy's elbow remained at the center of his back. Malfoy's other leg was pressed up against Harry's and there was a very strange sensation that bubbled up inside his stomach. He was suddenly feeling very feverish with Malfoy's front pressing lightly against his lower back.

"Malfoy!" Harry struggled, gritting his teeth as the blond kept his hand pressed against the back of his neck.

"I told you I'm only giving you five seconds! Now _where_ is the poem, Potter!"

The blond's elbow dug deeper into Harry's back and he winced. By doing that, Malfoy's crotch pressed up against Harry's backside and while he couldn't really distinguish the other boy's penis through his jeans, it still made his stomach churn. Using Quidditch instincts, Harry moved his leg backward quickly knocking Malfoy in the calf very hard. The other boy loosened his grip in surprise, hissing in pain and Harry took advantage of the freedom to kick the blond backward. Malfoy stumbled and fell down on the floor and Harry wasted no time in running in the opposite direction.

"I'm going to get you Potter!" Malfoy bellowed after him.

Harry ran until he reached his room. He slammed his door shut and sighed with relief. Now that Malfoy knew about the poem, it was only a matter of time before he confronted Harry again. He had a feeling the next time would be even worse.

As Harry took off his clothes and changed for bed, he couldn't get the fight out of his head. He had felt so…strange up against the wall. There had been an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. Harry wanted to blame it on the effects of the Pond, but he knew the effects had long since worn off. Again he thought about what the book had said and wondered if perhaps it could be wrong. After all, there wasn't a lot of research on the Pond or its effects so perhaps its effects worked different now, or maybe the effects differed for each individual. He wasn't sure, but he didn't want to believe that he had any attraction for the Slytherin.

Crawling into bed, Harry lay down and tried to put Malfoy out of his mind. He knew that if he were to write to his friends and ask their advice, Hermione would obviously say: "I told you so". He really did delve head-first into trouble a lot of times and his suspicions of Malfoy had blinded him beyond reason. Now that he was finally there and constantly bumping into the blond and having more fights than they had in Hogwarts, it was unnerving. It was so different seeing Malfoy so much and especially without his annoying Slytherin cult behind him (namely Crabbe and Goyle). Trying to push the blond out of his thoughts, Harry finally drifted off.

_The room was dark—too dark for Harry to really make out any details. He wasn't even sure he was in a room. He was walking around, trying to figure out where he was. _

_"There you are, Potter!" a voice drawled nearby. _

_Harry wheeled around and saw Malfoy emerging from the shadows, smirking widely. He reached for his wand only to find that it wasn't in his robe. Cautiously, Harry stepped back uncertain of what Malfoy was going to do. _

_"What do you want, Malfoy?"_

_"Isn't it obvious Potter?" Malfoy drawled, twirling his wand much like Tom Riddle did in the Chamber of Secrets. It unnerved him. "You have something I want."_

_"I'm not giving you anything! I know why you want the Scale!"_

_Malfoy let out a laugh and stepped forward. Harry moved backward and found something solid in back of him. There was no where else to run. _

_"Really, Potter? Then what do I want it for?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in mockery. _

_"You want to bring Voldemort back!" Harry blurted out. "If you bring him back then he'll reward you with power and you'll be promoted or something. Then every Slytherin out there who's still alive will worship you because you did something none of them could do. And I know you somehow knew about what would happen with the train and that Voldemort was after the Scale!"_

_"Well you just know everything, now don't you?" Malfoy quipped sarcastically. "I'm going to let you in on a little secret, Potter."_

_Harry tried to back away as the blond moved forward, but he couldn't distance himself any further. So, he opted to glare heatedly at the blond and clenched his fists, ready to dodge if any curses came flying at him. _

_"The only reason I want the Scale is because you do."_

_"What?" Harry asked, his eyes widening in surprise. _

_"Don't you get it? We've always been rivals at Hogwarts and although you were a nerdy, skinny, half-muggle wizard who hardly knew anything about the wizard world people still hung all over you! And I'm a Malfoy, understand? My family is not only one of the few remaining Purebloods, but we're wealthy, intelligent…and yet here you come along and ruin my popularity with your damn fame!" he snapped, pointing his wand at him. _

"_I've been competing with you, trying to measure up to the famous Harry Potter ever since you refused my friendship! And this is yet another competition, like Quidditch, only the stakes are much higher. And when I get to that Scale first people will finally realize that I am better than you—that just because you're famous doesn't mean you have the ability to do anything!"_

_Malfoy shot a curse at him and Harry tried to dodge it but he found himself stuck in a corner. The curse hit him in the chest and forced his body to wheel around and push up against the wall. Although his back was facing the blond, he could hear the footsteps approaching. Harry's breath hitched in his throat when he felt a warm body press up against him from behind. His hands were forced up against the wall, palms flat against it. There were hands suddenly on his waist, moving up and down through his pockets and inside his robe as if searching to see if he was armed. _

_Unexpectedly, Malfoy's fingers came up and unbuttoned his robe, pulling it off of him. Harry wasn't sure how it came off with his hands still pressed firmly against the wall, but he no longer could think of anything. After dropping his robe to the floor, Malfoy didn't stop; his fingers began unbuttoning Harry's thin, long-sleeved shirt. _

"_Malfoy," Harry whispered shakily. "What are you doing?"_

_The blond didn't answer. Harry's shirt came off and disappeared and Harry felt his whole body shiver. Malfoy's hands roamed his back and Harry felt his breathing become more shallow. The other boy's hands came around Harry's waist and unbuttoned his jeans before sliding the zipper down. _

"_Stop! What…What are you…?" Harry couldn't complete his sentence; he was at a loss for words. _

_He felt his pants get pulled down to his ankles and against his will he stepped out of them. Harry was standing only clad in his short boxers and he was feeling extremely vulnerable. The blond still hadn't said a word as he placed his hands back on Harry's waist. There was some rustling and Harry gasped loudly when the blond pressed his front up against his bare back. Malfoy moved until his crotch was firmly pushing against Harry's rear. He could tell the other boy still had his pants on, but it didn't give him much relief. _

_The blond's hands moved from Harry's back to his sides and slid around him to his torso. Harry couldn't move as he felt warm hands glide across his chest and stomach. And what unnerved him most was that the hands didn't stop; they kept going, brushing over Harry's own crotch and he felt his body jerk in surprise. Malfoy's hands finally halted at his thighs and then began to slowly move back up again. Harry was having trouble breathing and while he wanted to say something or wheel around and punch the blond in the face, he found he couldn't. _

"_M-MALFOY!" Harry exclaimed as he felt hands cup his crotch. "What the bloody hell are you…"_

_Harry trailed off and his mouth opened as he felt the blond's hands begin to rub him through his boxers. Against Harry's wishes, his body was beginning to react. He could feel a hard-on coming and he tried desperately to move away from Malfoy's ministrations. Harry let out a startled sound as the blond's fingers slipped inside his boxers and squeezed his cock. _

_It was then that Harry realized this seemed familiar. At first he wasn't sure why and he just wanted it to stop, but then he remembered that this had happened before. It had been at the Pond of Desires! Harry's realization was interrupted when the blond began stroking him gently. A loud groan echoed and Harry knew it had come from him. His hips moved slowly, following the rhythm as Malfoy squeezed and stroked his erection. Harry was breathing deeply and every now and then let out a groan. Just as he was getting close to release Malfoy pulled away. His erection was so hard he was aching. _

_Harry's eyes widened when he felt the blond's hands back at his waist. Slowly, Malfoy pulled his boxers down and they puddled at Harry's feet. The other boy used his hand, which he placed on the back of Harry's neck, to plaster him completely against the wall. With his other hand, he spread Harry's legs. Harry couldn't say anything; his face was pressed up against the wall and he was breathing heavily; he was very aware of his erection and the fact that he was naked. Suddenly, Harry felt an intrusion—a finger slipped inside of him and instantly his head tilted backward as his eyes shut and he released a loud moan; he felt his cock twitch as he orgasmed. _

Harry's eyes snapped open and he stared up at the ceiling. His breaths were coming in short gasps and he suddenly sat up. That was when he felt something wet. Throwing the covers off his body, Harry saw that his boxers were wet and a little bit of his wet dream was trickling down his leg.

"Bloody hell!" Harry exclaimed, reaching over to the bedside to grab his wand.

He waved a cleansing spell over himself and the bed and all trace of his dream vanished. Harry sat still in the darkness breathing deeply and trying to calm down. He remembered everything about his dream—it had been about Malfoy. And he also knew that what he remembered was true; he now was aware of everything that had happened at the Pond of Desires. Malfoy hadn't just kissed him; Harry's memory had been fuzzy because of the effects of the Pond, but his subconscious reminded him: Malfoy had jerked him off.

Rubbing his eyes, Harry shook his head as if trying to make sure he was really awake. He had dreamt of Malfoy jerking him off and in his dream he had enjoyed it! It was too much for his mind to handle, especially at six in the morning. Getting up, Harry paced around the room for several minutes before he sighed vehemently and slumped back onto his bed.

"Maybe the book is right…," Harry whispered aloud.

He sat and thought about everything he had read and the events that had taken place with Malfoy. It was so easy to turn his feelings toward Malfoy into anger, frustration and contempt that he wasn't sure if it was possible he was attracted to the blond. The book had said that was the case, but wouldn't that mean Malfoy had to have been attracted to him too? He certainly wouldn't have kissed him let alone jerk him off if he didn't. But Harry wondered if that was true, how that could be possible. He and Malfoy disliked one another more than anything.

"Merlin, this is so messed up," Harry murmured, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

It was one thing to have done something sexual with Malfoy after falling into a magical Pond, even if it did state that the Pond couldn't force someone to act on something that wasn't previously there. However, it was almost impossible to deny anything when he dreamt about it long after the Pond's effects wore off. It hadn't just been a memory of the Pond; Harry knew and he hated to admit it, but it had been more than that.

"This isn't possible. I'm not even gay," he said aloud. "Hermione was right, I really shouldn't have meddled and now…now I don't know what the hell is going on or what to do!"

Harry fell backward onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling. He had made the decision to follow Malfoy and find the Scale; he had to go through with it. There was no turning back now and he would just have to deal with the repercussions later.

_Okay…I'm going to be fine. So, Malfoy and I would have had to be attracted to one another, I think, but…even if that's true…I mean, yeah I guess I can see how Malfoy would be attractive, but that doesn't have to mean I actually like him. A person can be attractive and not be likable, kind of like how Cho turned out. Yeah, the book didn't state that it had to be a romantic attraction or anything, so it doesn't mean that I like him. _

Harry decided to stop dwelling and worrying about what had happened. It had already passed so he could just forget about it. Perhaps if he bought some Sleeping Drought potions it would prevent any more disturbing memories that had to do with the Pond or Malfoy. Feeling a little better, Harry used a cleansing charm on himself to get clean, dressed and then went down to the dining hall. He was there too early for anyone else to be up, but he was grateful that food still appeared when he sat down. He piled some toast on his plate and poured some pumpkin juice.

"I thought you might come early," a voice drawled.

His cup of pumpkin juice nearly got knocked over as Harry wheeled around. Malfoy stalked toward him, glaring at him menacingly.

"I figure you would come early to try and avoid me, Potter."

"I wasn't trying to avoid you, Malfoy, but I certainly wasn't looking forward to seeing you," Harry replied dryly. "And I'm not afraid of you."

Malfoy sneered and took out his wand. "Really, Potter? Well, I don't care. Because whether you like it or not I'm going to get whatever was in that box."

"For the last time Malfoy, there was only an ancient poem. Probably someone's idea of a joke. That box has been at the bottom of that Pond for who knows how many centuries. Are you telling me that you think we're the only ones who could have possibly found it? I'm sure it's been gone for a long time now," Harry finished, turning back around to eat.

"If someone had found the Scale Potter it would be very obvious," the blond drawled.

"Maybe if a Slytherin had found it and drastically altered the world with a selfish wish, but if it was say an old woman who had a simple wish that she used just for herself and didn't tell anyone about it, then who knows," Harry said.

"How touching," Malfoy drawled. "I don't care if you think that poem is useless or not Potter. I want it. It was obviously in there for a reason and if you don't give it to me…"

Malfoy trailed off as several students entered the dining hall. The blond quickly put his wand back in his robe and slowly approached him. Harry turned his head to the left and glared as Malfoy crossed his arms and stared intensely at him.

"I _will_ get that poem, Potter."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "You can try."

He saw the other boy's jaw clench in anger, but Malfoy just turned around and walked to his usual spot. Harry was inwardly thankful that Malfoy didn't create a scene in front of the other students, even if it was just a few. He honestly was dreading the confrontation that he knew would come eventually. Malfoy always had to make things difficult. He had to make sure that Malfoy didn't get an opportunity to corner him again; if Malfoy got the poem then…Well, then he'd have it and Harry wouldn't. He wasn't even sure if the poem had any significance, but he still didn't want the Slytherin to have it.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully concerning Malfoy, which Harry was grateful for. The blond hadn't stayed after class to try and threaten him nor did he give him any menacing stares during dinner in the dining hall. In fact, he was completely ignoring Harry's existence. A part of him was relieved, but a larger part of him didn't trust it. It frustrated him and it wasn't like Malfoy to not send him annoying glances or gestures.

Harry left dinner early and rushed to his room. He knew he had to get rid of the evidence; he'd just have to memorize the poem in case it became important later on, but having the slip of paper around gave a higher possibility for Malfoy to read it. After slipping out of his clothes and into his boxers, Harry stifled through his things in his trunk, trying to remember where he had hidden it. He knew he had put it somewhere…

Opening one of his books, he found the parchment hidden in one of the pages. Sighing with relief, Harry read it several more times to make sure he knew it by heart. Then he placed the book down and put it on his desk. Just then something slipped underneath his door and Harry glanced over, startled. A parchment had been pushed through and Harry went over and picked it up. The message read:

_The headmistress needs to speak with you. If you can meet with her at one tomorrow then sign this parchment and put it outside your door. _

Shrugging, Harry scribbled his name wondering if perhaps she was going to give his invisibility cloak back. He opened his door and something blinded him. Harry stumbled backward and thankfully managed to jump sideways just in time. A curse flew past his head and once Harry regained his footing he saw Malfoy slamming his door shut, pointing his wand at him.

"You!" Harry shouted, glancing down at the parchment.

Malfoy sneered. "I knew you'd fall for it Potter! There's no reason for you to believe you'd get a random letter from the headmistress!"

"If she finds out you're threatening me—"

"Save your stupid speeches!" Malfoy spat. "Give me that poem and maybe I won't hit you with a nasty pimple hex."

Harry dodged out of the way of a curse and shot one back at the blond. Malfoy dodged it easily but Harry was prepared and shot two more at him right in a row. The blond was hit by one of them and flung backward into the wall.

"You're not getting it!" Harry snapped as Malfoy got back to his feet.

Harry turned and looked at the parchment on the desk and Malfoy's head jerked in the same direction. In less than a second Harry shouted: "Incendio!" and the parchment erupted in flames.

"POTTER! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

The other boy lunged toward him, firing curses and hexes at him. Harry jumped out of the way, trying not to get cornered in the process. Unfortunately, the room didn't have too much space and Harry had to roll over the bed to dodge another attack. Harry let out a shout as a curse hit him and caused his whole body to erupt in pain as if he was being poked by thorns all over. He nearly collapsed, but summoned a protection shield around him to block Malfoy's next curse.

Harry shakily stood up and threw more hexes toward the blond. Unfortunately, they both shot curses at the same time and when they collided it caused a blast that threw them both off their feet. Harry landed ungracefully on his bed and his wand flew out of his hand. Malfoy crashed into the desk and nearly fell over. Harry turned on the bed and saw his wand on the floor. Before he could reach it he felt his arms and legs turn to jello—it was a nasty hex and Harry couldn't get his limbs to function properly.

Malfoy kept his wand pointed at him as he approached Harry, who was still lying unceremoniously on the bed. The blond was heaving deeply, looking furious.

"Tell me what the poem said or I'll remove the rest of your clothing and stick you out in the hallway for everyone to find tomorrow!"

"That would get you expelled and you know it!" Harry glared.

"TELL ME POTTER!" Malfoy snarled, throwing another hex at him.

Harry clenched his jaw as he was thrown upward toward the ceiling, nearly smashing his head on it, before he fell back down. He landed harshly back on the bed and he could already feel the strain on his muscles. He groaned in pain but didn't say anything. Malfoy approached and Harry didn't move even though the jello hex had worn off. He wanted Malfoy to think it hadn't. He waited until the blond was right in front of him and Harry stared at him, pretending like he still couldn't move.

"I'm giving you one more chance," the blond said slowly, his wand pointed steadily at him.

"Or what?" Harry challenged.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed angrily. With all of his training, Harry was more than prepared. As Malfoy began to shoot another hex at him, Harry's legs sprang up knocking the blond's wand out of his hand. Harry wasted no time in kicking the blond in the gut, knocking him off his feet. Malfoy groaned loudly as the wind was knocked out of him and he fell firmly on the floor. Harry jumped off the bed and grabbed Malfoy's wand then went to retrieve his own. With both wands, he pointed them down at the blond who could do nothing more than glare at him from his position on the floor.

"Sorry Malfoy, but you've lost this round. I suggest you stay out of my face."

The blond was clutching his gut and slowly got to his feet. Harry kept the wands pointed at him in case he tried anything. He could tell Malfoy was still having trouble breathing.

"Go to the door!" Harry demanded.

Glaring at him, Malfoy trudged to the door still holding his gut. When he reached it, Harry held tightly onto his wand and slowly reached out and threw Malfoy's wand on the floor in front of him. Suddenly, Malfoy's fist whirled around and slammed against the side of his face. Harry flew backward and knocked into his desk chair, which tipped over with him on it. He collided with the floor and moaned, wincing as he felt his shoulder throb painfully.

"I'm not finished with you yet, Potter!"

The blond lunged at him with such speed and ferocity, Harry almost didn't have time to move. Somehow, his leg shot up and slammed into Malfoy, pushing him back so hard he tripped over the fallen chair and landed hard, knocking his head on the floor. Harry stood up when he noticed that the blond wasn't moving. Fear consumed him and Harry dashed over to Malfoy. Relief flooded through him when he realized the blond was still breathing, but he had been knocked unconscious.

Gulping, Harry grabbed the blond's arms and dragged him over toward the bed. He knew that since it was past bedtime he couldn't very well go wandering the halls, especially with an unconscious Malfoy floating behind him. If he got caught he'd have a lot of explaining to do and would most likely be expelled. He would just have to keep the blond in his room overnight and pray the other boy didn't wake up in the middle of the night and strangle him.

Using his wand, Harry floated Malfoy onto his bed and summoned a blanket so he wouldn't have to put him under the covers. There was no way Harry would get any sleep on the floor and since it was a queen-sized bed he decided he'd risk sleeping at the opposite end of the bed. Just to be safe, he conjured a spell so that the blankets around Malfoy wouldn't budge until Harry reversed it, which meant that the blond would not be able to harm him. Carefully, Harry slipped beneath his covers scooting as far to the other side of the bed as possible and lay down.

He winced, realizing that the left side of his jaw was still throbbing with pain where Malfoy had punched him. He turned on his right side and stared at Malfoy, watching as he breathed in and out deeply. The other boy's blond bangs were partially covering his eyes and Harry noticed that Malfoy was indeed attractive. Feeling his cheeks heat up at the thought, he slipped out of bed and rummaged through his trunk. He was relieved to find he had a Sleeping Drought potion. He gulped it down and then slid back underneath the covers. He couldn't take a chance at having another wet dream, especially about Malfoy, with the blond right near him in his bed. And he hoped that things with Malfoy wouldn't get any more complicated than they already were.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

To Reviewers: 

**HyperMint: **Oh no, don't worry I didn't forget about this story. It's just that I was too stressed out with school so I had to take a break, but I do plan to have this finished around the summer time. Thanks!

**Maegwin: **Hehehe! Yep, Harry's slowly realizing the change between them, but of course he's still partially in denial. Don't worry though, the romance and intimacy is soon to come! Thanks!

**Branwen777: **Thanks! I'm glad you liked the chapter! Yep, things are definitely getting more complicated. And you're right, Draco did initiate what happened. But he's more in denial than Harry is. At least Harry is slowly realizing the attraction between them now. Oh yes, Malfoy definitely has a lot of pride, lol! It won't be easy getting him to admit his feelings; he doesn't make it any easier to write it. Hehe! Aw, thanks for understanding! Yeah, school was hectic so I had to take a break but I do plan to have this finished over the summer. Don't worry, the romance is slowly blooming and the intimacy is soon to come! That's very interesting that you noticed that in Captivation Harry was the one who realized his feelings first and went after Draco. That tends to be more realistic for me when I write because of Malfoy's pride; that is why it makes more sense that Harry has to be the one to take the first step toward a relationship between them. I shall update asap! Thanks again!

**Iluvmyterrier: **Hey, thanks! Yeah, I think that there's a way to sign up when you review for 'author alerts'. That means that you will get an alert in your e-mail account about when stories are updated and which ones. You should be able to just check the box when you review (at least I think it's a box, but whatever it is you can get author alerts through reviewing). Hehe! Yeah, I love Harry/Draco, which is why I'm trying to make this as realistic as possible; it definitely can't be rushed. But I will update asap! Thanks again!

**fantasizeaway33: **Thanks!! I'm so glad you like it! I will update asap!


	10. A Drastic Decision

**Pure Rhapsody**

**Chapter 9: A Drastic Decision**

"POTTER! _Wake up_!"

A disgruntled sound came from the back of Harry's throat and he slowly opened his eyes. He turned and saw Malfoy glaring at him with his face scrunched in anger. His eyes widened in remembrance of why the Slytherin was currently on his bed and unable to move; the blanket that Harry had charmed had obviously done the trick. Malfoy struggled but couldn't get his arms loose; his eyes were narrowed and his blond hair was disheveled.

"What the _bloody hell_ am I am doing in _your_ room?" Malfoy seethed.

Harry could hear the fury in his tone and he wasn't sure if Malfoy recalled their fight or not.

"You got knocked unconscious last night when I was forced to defend myself and I could've left you _outside_ my room," Harry spoke slowly, narrowing his eyes.

"You'll be lucky if I don't tell the headmistress that you knocked me out," Malfoy sneered.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed in anger. "Then you'll have to reveal to her that you attacked me first after barging into my room uninvited."

Scowling darkly, Malfoy gave him a nasty look. "Remove this, Potter!"

"You think I'm going to trust you after what you pulled last night?" Harry retorted. "You can forget it."

"Do you really think you can keep me here, Potter?" Malfoy drawled. "Someone is bound to notice my disappearance soon, if they haven't already."

"Like I'd want to keep you here longer than necessary," Harry said, glaring.

"Then get this off me," Malfoy drawled coldly. "And while you're at it, put some clothes on."

Harry glanced down and saw he was only clad in his boxers. "This is how I sleep."

"I don't give a bloody damn, Potter! Just unbind me so I can leave!"

"If you try anything…," Harry warned, trailing off.

Malfoy just gazed at him intensely and Harry waved his wand. The blanket loosened and Malfoy got up. Harry kept his wand pointed at him until he had reached the door.

"My wand, Potter," Malfoy drawled.

Narrowing his eyes, Harry made sure to be prepared if he tried to attack. Slowly, he lifted Malfoy's wand with his free hand and tossed it to him. The blond caught it and gave him a nasty smirk before he turned and left the room.

Harry breathed out deeply and shook his head. It could have gone a lot worse, but it seemed that Malfoy wasn't in the mood to fight, at least for the moment. They were lucky because it was Sunday, which meant it was easier to hide the fact that Malfoy hadn't been in his room the previous night. For the rest of the day, Harry worked on his homework from his N.E.W.T.s preparation class. During meals in the dining hall, Harry didn't see Malfoy, which he was grateful for.

The next morning in class, however, he didn't see Malfoy either. He started to get a bad feeling and wondered if the blond was up to something. He didn't see Malfoy in the dining hall during meals that day either. And by the time dinner came, Harry was getting anxious. He didn't understand what Malfoy could be up to.

After class the following day, Harry approached the professor.

"Sir, um, I noticed that Draco Malfoy hasn't been in class."

The professor glanced at him and suddenly looked nervous. "Oh yes, Potter, I know. He has been excused, for the time being."  
"For what?" Harry asked, feeling his heart beat nervously. Something didn't feel right.

"I'm sorry, Potter, I'm not supposed to release any information about that," the professor answered, giving him an apologetic smile.

"Er, but…he's my friend!" Harry blurted out unexpectedly.

The professor glanced at him and sighed. "Well, you can try to talk to the headmistress, Potter. Maybe she'll make an exception for you."

It was hard to get through the rest of classes until lunch break. Harry was so anxious about why Malfoy could be absent. Had he stolen something? Or did he get in trouble for not being in his room? Maybe he told the headmistress about their fight. The moment lunch time came, Harry rushed up to the headmistress' office and knocked on the door.

"Come in," a voice said.

Harry entered and saw the headmistress rummaging through papers on her desk.

"Mr. Potter," she greeted, nodding. "What can I do for you?"

"Headmistress, I um…Malfoy's my friend and I was wondering why he hasn't been in class," Harry said quickly.

"I see," she said, sitting down. "I'm afraid that's classified by the Ministry."

"The Ministry?" Harry blurted out. "Please, I…I won't tell anyone or cause trouble, I just…Is he alright?"

He decided to try and act as though they were close friends to get information out of her. It seemed to be working for she gave him an apologetic look.

"Mr. Potter, your friend is fine as health goes, if that's what you mean. However, he is with the Ministry now. He left last night under orders and I'm afraid he might not be back for a while."

"Could you please tell me what happened? I mean, is it my fault?"

"Your fault?" she asked, surprised. "No, of course not. It only has to do with Mr. Malfoy."

"Please headmistress," Harry said.

"I'm sorry. Here," she said, grabbing something and handing it over to him.

It was his Invisibility Cloak.

"I know it can't take away your concern, but I figure you're probably going through enough right now with all your work and now your friend. So, I've decided to give it back to you now."

"Thanks," Harry said quietly.

"Take care," she said.

He stood up, realizing she wasn't going to reveal anything. Once he was outside her office he suddenly got an idea. Now that he had his cloak back, he could sneak inside the Ministry and find out what was going on. He'd of course have to wait until the weekend so that he didn't miss classes and get the professors suspicious. Harry didn't have a clue as to why the Ministry would send Malfoy away and it unnerved him. He could scarcely get to sleep that night, or the night after. Going to classes was almost torture because every hour his curiosity and anxiety about Malfoy's circumstance increased.

Finally, Friday came and Harry sent an owl to his professor in the morning claiming he wasn't feeling well and that he'd be staying in his room. He couldn't wait to sneak out at night so he did so that morning while all the other students were eating breakfast. With his cloak, it wasn't very difficult. Once outside of the school, Harry summoned his broom and flew off toward the Hogwarts Express. He wasn't risking apparation in case only half of him made it as far as the Ministry.

On the train, Harry bought a large glass of butterbeer to try and calm his nerves. Just a few days ago everything seemed normal with Malfoy—they were fighting and arguing and then he just vanished. After learning that it was the Ministry who was involved, Harry didn't know what to think.

Once he arrived at his destination, he flew his room to the Ministry covered by his invisibility cloak. In order to sneak inside, he had to sit and wait by a bush to see if anyone would open the door. He waited for fifteen minutes just staring at the door, his mind racing at what could possibly be going on. To his utter surprise, and luck, the door opened moments later and a couple aurors stepped outside. Harry hurried toward the door and slipped inside before they shut the door.

He almost tripped over the cloak as he rushed inside, but caught his balance by grabbing onto the nearest statue. Pulling the cloak tightly around him, Harry began wandering up and down the halls. He wasn't sure where Malfoy was or if he was even staying at the Ministry. It could be that he was told to go back to the Inn to be watched by aurors, but that didn't make sense being since they gave him his wand back. Why would they give him his wand back after all his community service and then ask him to go back? It just didn't make sense.

Harry decided to go up toward the Minister's office, even though there wasn't a Minister as of yet. Hopefully, if anyone was there they would be somewhere on that level. He was about to head down another hall when a door across form the Minister's office opened. He had to cover his mouth so he wouldn't let out a gasp and then quickly flattened himself against the wall. There was no where to hide so he prayed that the three Ministry officials that walked out wouldn't bump into him.

"Yes, yes, I understand that," one of them said gruffly. "But this is a serious matter."

"The problem is that we can't be a hundred percent certain," a woman said, crossing her arms. He recognized her as Cealla Marbury—the woman who had taken him and Malfoy to the train station.

"Cealla's right, Amos. We can't go that extreme without being certain, especially because of his age."

"Damn his age!" the other man wheeled around.

Harry's mouth fell open. He recognized him, only slightly. It was Cedric Diggory's father, Amos Diggory. After Cedric's death, Amos had hardly spoken, he cried a lot and Mr. Weasley had said he didn't see him very much at the Ministry anymore. Harry had gotten the impression he was so overcome by grief that he had quit his job. Apparently, he hadn't for he was standing there looking as stern as ever. He had a thick beard now and his eyes weren't cheerful as they used to be when Harry first met him, but it was definitely him.

"You-Know-Who and his followers are never merciful, so why should we be?" Amos snapped.

"Amos, please, we're not at all like them. That's what distinguishes the good from the bad," Cealla said calmly.

"I don't care! He is a Malfoy for damn sake! Look what his parents did! Look what his entire family has done! That should be proof enough!" Amos exclaimed angrily.

Harry felt his heart begin to pound furiously in his chest. He tried not to let his shallow breathing be heard as he eavesdropped. It was obvious they were talking about the Draco Malfoy that much was certain.

"But to give him life imprisonment in Azkaban or…or…e-execution," the other man whispered the last word.

Harry's entire throat constricted when he heard the word. His eyes were fixed to the three of them and he couldn't even wipe his clammy hands on his jeans.

"Come off it! Two aurors are dead, not including the last wizard we found dead right before the Minister himself was found dead! Is that not proof enough?" Amos hissed.

"But that was the Dark Lord who killed the Minister and—"

"Cealla, I don't want to hear it! Do you think that it matters who kills who? No! All Slytherins are murders or soon-to-be-murders! You-Know-Who didn't kill my son! One of his followers did!" he spat. "You've seen how many Slytherins are left in Hogwarts—hardly enough! Most are in hiding or have been executed because they're all murdering bastards! All of them! The parents train their kids to be murders!"

"But we can't just assume the boy is a murderer just because his parents are! It wouldn't look right to the public and I wouldn't feel right about it," Cealla argued.

Amos clenched his fists in frustration. "The boy tried to kill Albus Dumbledore, don't you remember? If he has already attempted murder, then why wouldn't he be responsible for Mad-Eye Moody or Alastor Gumboil, hmm? Kingley said he found a blond piece of hair on Moody's body—there had been a struggle. Not to mention when we wanted to proof if he was guilty with Veritaserum, wouldn't you know it that all the bottles in the entire Ministry have been stolen? Is that just a coincidence?

"After all, it was the Minister's _brilliant_ idea to collect all the Veritaserum from Hogwarts and other places around Europe. We got most of it, we think, but of course there are other bottles somewhere out there. I bet most of the wizards and witches who have some are Slytherin and they're hiding them so that we don't find out what crimes they have done. The point is that without that it'll take three months to brew the potion, which is difficult enough without finding all the right ingredients. That could take up to a month too! And there's no time to search everyone's house to try and find a bottle! Don't you see? I bet the boy knew everything from the beginning! Also, I'd bet my life he's continuing where his parents left off!"

Cealla sighed heavily and glanced at the other wizard, who adjusted his glasses.

"Look, if that's true, why would he have killed those two? What purpose would that have?"

"Simple. He's weakening us from the inside. We're vulnerable enough right now without a Minister. Not to mention it's still dangerous to keep the boy locked up here in a magically sealed room. I mean, if other Slytherins in hiding banned together and revolted we might be at a serious disadvantage, especially if they're all planning to find a way to bring You-Know-Who back."

"That's impossible, isn't it?" the other wizard asked, looking nervous. "I mean, Harry Potter destroyed him for good, right?"

"Not necessarily! Who knows what Potter did to him. It could've sent him back in time, or to another dimension, no one knows the power of that room! It's never been activated before and of course trust Potter to screw that up!" Amos exclaimed.

"Harry Potter has been an enormous help against the Dark Lord," Caella said firmly. "He has been the only one to stand up and face the Dark Lord more than enough times. And this last time he defeated him probably as much as it is possible."

"What have you got against him?" the other wizard asked.

Amos narrowed his eyes and huffed. "Potter is supposedly such a great wizard. So powerful beyond our comprehension and he's stood up to You-Know-Who and survived the killing curse. And yet he couldn't save my son—just one person, huh? You know what that tells me? That he's probably not very powerful at all and we're all putting our lives in his hands! Well, you won't see me doing that!" he barked loudly.

"As I recall, Dumbledore said Potter had been outnumbered by Death Eaters and the Dark Lord, Amos. It isn't fair to accuse him of not being able to save anyone let alone the world. It's hard enough these days to protect our own lives, let alone anyone else's," Caella retorted. "I think you're just trying to find someone to blame because you haven't gotten over the death of your son. But putting this young boy, Draco Malfoy, in prison isn't going to take that away. And in fact, if he is innocent, which is possible considering there's no evidence of him being involved in these murders, then that would only make things worse. Then we would be as cruel as the Dark Lord."

"And Mr. Malfoy was questioned with Veritaserum once the war ceased and the Death Eaters were captured. They got everything out of him. The only thing he had really done that was bad, besides stealing and letting Death Eaters into Hogwarts, was the attempted murder of Albus Dumbledore. He didn't actually kill anyone though," the other wizard explained.

"You can all believe what you like! But just because he's still young doesn't mean he's not as sly and evil as his parents and You-Know-Who's other followers! After all, he was recruited!"

"We don't know that for certain; he doesn't have the Dark Mark," Caella said. "We cannot make rash decisions about someone's life until we know for certain, Amos."

"You think what you want, but as it stands the aurors are already leaning toward life-time imprisonment. I would of course go for execution, but if I can't convince them then prison will do," he spat. "The boy has only a day or two before his fate is decided anyway."

Amos then wheeled around and headed down the hall. He nearly brushed against Harry, who was still plastered to the wall. Cealla and the other wizard wordlessly walked in the same direction. Once they had disappeared around the corner, Harry released a heavy breath and relaxed his muscles. Slumping to the floor, he sat and thought about what he had overheard. Malfoy was in trouble and he was on the edge of possible incarceration or even…execution. Harry couldn't even imagine what it would be like if Malfoy was no longer alive.

And suddenly, Harry put a hand on his stomach as a wave of nausea came. Ron would be thrilled if either one happened to Malfoy, but now he was relating more to Hermione. It wasn't even that he just disagreed with executing people, but it was the fact that it was Malfoy. They had been fighting for so long that it seemed like the norm so without it, Harry realized that he would think his life rather dull. It was sad, but he had become so accustomed to seeing Malfoy and getting into duels and arguments with him, and also surviving one dangerous encounter after another.

It was his life. And without that challenge—without his adrenaline coursing through him at least once a day, his life would be completely boring. As if he would live day-to-day just to live, nothing more. His life was tragic and dangerous, but there were parts of it that were exciting; the thrill was what kept him strong and sane, and without that he could turn into another Mad-Eye Moody, or worse…someone like Snape who was always bitter and kept himself isolated from the world.

Harry could certainly live without war and without Voldemort—those were the parts of his life that were tragic and not something he wanted to have remain in his life. But Malfoy was different—Malfoy wasn't a threat to his life; he was a challenge, a rival, and someone who kept his life exciting but not on the brink of death.

As these thoughts flickered around in his mind, Harry couldn't believe he was thinking of Malfoy like he couldn't live without him. He would have taken himself to St. Mungo's if he didn't realize how much it made sense. It was hard to see it when they were at Hogwarts because of the constant threat of war, Voldemort, death, and competition with academics and Quidditch; so much had been going on that Harry hardly realized the importance of his rivalry with the blond.

Malfoy kept him prepared—kept him ready for anything. Not only that, but every time the Slytherin challenged him or out-smarted him, or tricked him in any way, it made Harry want to be stronger, to learn more and to just be better. It was really because of Malfoy that he was so prepared to face Voldemort; of course Dumbledore, Lupin, Sirius, and his classes also helped, but he realized it was probably Malfoy most of all. Even if the war did completely end and Slytherins were no longer such a big threat, and Voldemort was certainly never going to come back, Harry would still want challenges in his life and excitement; not ones that involved losing those he cared about or losing his own life, but rather just someone to connect to, someone to keep him on the edge and in touch with his powers.

That was when Harry had a second epiphany. He didn't want to be an auror, an Herbologist, a dragon expert, and especially not a teacher. No careers thus far had sparked his interest because they didn't have the sort of challenges that he wanted. But there was one career that would be challenging, useful, and would keep him in touch with his powers and that was sorcery. Dumbledore was a powerful sorcerer and Voldemort was too, but they weren't like Merlin had been. Dumbledore was closer to Merlin in the respect that he was well-rounded in every magical ability. That's what Harry wanted—he wanted to know all about the Wizard world and what he had missed out on growing up with muggles. Most of all, he wanted to learn the basics of magic, wandless magic, and about all sorts of magic and creatures. That was what interested him most.

However, sorcery wasn't practiced much anymore. There were parts of sorcery, like being an auror, but not as challenging as learning everything there was to know. The only problem was that one could practice sorcery by themselves, but they would have trouble learning without an ancient guide and most sorcerers were dead now, because they had practically become extinct. And it would be hard to get a career where he would earn money, unless…

Harry shook his head of future thoughts. He could worry about his career later. Right now he knew that Malfoy only had a couple of days before he was possibly killed. And there wasn't proof directly linked to Malfoy. It was hard not to believe that Malfoy was behind the murders because his parents were murderers and it was in his blood. But there was something about the situation that was suspicious. There was no way that Malfoy could have gone all the way to the Ministry and stolen all the vials of Veritaserum from the Embervale Academy.

It wasn't even possible that Malfoy could've done it before because he hadn't gotten his wand back until right before he had left. There were those few days from when he got his wand and then the day he went to the academy, but there was no direct proof he was connected to any of the murders. And why would Malfoy kill them? Harry knew the blond was after the Scale, for whatever reasons whether for his parents, Voldemort or even for himself, but the murders just didn't make sense.

Harry sat there for some time. He couldn't go all the way back to the Embervale Academy. After all, he had wanted to find out about Malfoy and now he had. There was something surfacing in his mind and he knew what it was: he had the desire to help the Slytherin. It was the same feeling he got every time he had a vision about Voldemort, or some huge event came up, or someone went missing, or another body was found…he felt like he had to do _something_. Malfoy was an arrogant, infuriating prick—that was true, but Harry did not feel as though he deserved Azkaban and especially not death. A few months ago, and especially recently after Dumbledore's death, he would've agreed to it wholeheartedly, but now…now things were different and he didn't fully understand why.

And it didn't matter—all Harry knew was that he couldn't just sit back and let Amos Diggory take out his grief and desire for revenge on Malfoy, especially since there was still a good chance he was innocent.

_But what can I do to help? I couldn't possibly go up against the entire Ministry, even without a Minister. Not to mention they'll think I've gone mad if I try and defend Malfoy of all people. And there's no way they'd let me see him, not without sneaking in wherever it is that they're keeping him. _

Another part of him asked: Why would he want to help Malfoy? Would he really ruin his reputation in order to protect him? What would he get in return? And then a thought occurred to him. He wasn't sure where it came from, but it helped make up his mind. If he did this for Malfoy, the blond would owe him. It was settled—he was going to help Malfoy. Now he just had to figure out what he could do.

If he couldn't confront the Ministry officials, and he couldn't possibly ask for outside help (nobody would sympathize with a Slytherin and Death Eater's son), and he couldn't risk using a Time Turner to go back in time (even if he could find one—the one he and Hermione used had vanished years ago), what could he possibly do?

_Think, Harry! You've been in situations like this dozens of times! You've always managed to think of something. There must be something I'm overlooking. _

Harry sat in thought for several minutes, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Suddenly, his eyes widened. The Scale. He couldn't use a Time Turner, even if he could find one, because it was too dangerous and could make things worse, but the Scale wouldn't have repercussions like that. According to the legend, a person could make a wish—any wish no matter how large, but just one—and it would come true, without creating a chain of reactions that would alter the entire world.

However, the only problem was that he wasn't sure if the Scale was still around or if it had been found. He still remembered what the poem said and perhaps that was a clue, but he only had a couple of days to find it before Malfoy was either incarcerated or killed. That didn't give him much time.

"Okay, what did the poem say?" he whispered aloud. "I have to think of it like the Lynx poem in the Triwizard Tournament. I had to break each line down and think about it for some time, but I got the answer right. I just have to concentrate."

He summoned a pillow to cushion his bum as he thought. The cloak was still covering all of him, and the pillow, so he wasn't concerned about being found. The first line of the poem had been: _Far beneath the sod so deep_. Well, sod was another way of saying dirt, so perhaps it was alluding to something underground. The second line said: _My place of birth, now where I sleep_. Harry had to think for a minute. Place of birth would be home town and then sleep could refer to living there. Except that with the mention of dirt, it made more sense that it would be something or someone that was sleeping, or dead, underground.

_Hold on! The Scale was formed by the battle between the ice dragon and Merlin. Maybe the poem is a clue to the Scale! If it is, maybe it's referring to where Merlin was buried. _

That made a lot of sense considering the next two lines were: _The stench of death, it lingers here. An icy figure that once dwelled near. _The icy figure could refer to the ice dragon and perhaps the stench of death meant that it was referring to where Merlin was now buried, having been dead for many centuries. Harry began to feel the excitement bubbling in his stomach. It was possible that he was solving the puzzle of where the Scale was hidden, if it was still there. The last two lines were: _The precious keepsake I dare not part. 'Ere it remains inside my heart. _The keepsake could refer to the Scale. And inside the heart…perhaps it meant inside Merlin's heart! But then that didn't make sense because Merlin was all bones.

"I have to try," Harry whispered. "It's the only clue. There's no other resources or hints about where the Scale could be. Malfoy's right; the poem was in there for a reason. This has to be the reason. Now, I just have to figure out where Merlin was buried."

Harry knew exactly where to find that information. He headed for the Ministry's hidden library. It was easy enough to sneak into, but finding the information he needed was more difficult. There were many books about Merlin, mainly trivial facts. Only a couple of books were really old and delicate and had more detailed information about Merlin's life. He was born in Cheshire, England, as the legend goes. So if the poem referred to Merlin's fight with the ice dragon, then it would mean that Merlin was buried somewhere in Cheshire.

But…Harry knew that Merlin's body had been disintegrated centuries ago, according to history books, as a celebration of his great life. He had been burned, or cremated, by friends and perhaps some family. It was safer that way instead of having his body in a museum because people would most likely have tried to steal it. So if his body had been cremated, then there wouldn't be any place for the meaning of the poem.

"Unless it's not talking about his heart literally. If it's figurative then perhaps it just means that wherever the place was where he supposedly fought the ice dragon that's where the keepsake would be."

Hurriedly, Harry once again looked up the Scale—the same book he had used before when he had retrieved the Minister's letter. He flipped through it, trying to find the location he needed. The only thing the book said was that it had happened in the northern part of England. He couldn't find anything else written to give him a clue. He flipped through several times, getting more frustrated by the minute. Just then he stopped on a certain page. There was a small picture in the upper corner of the page. Squinting he read the title: _Chester Cathedral_.

Hurriedly, he looked up a world map and flipped to a map of England. Using a spell, he created a three dimensional view of England and he searched for Chester Cathedral. He found that it was not only in Cheshire, but it was mentioned that the Cathedral had been destroyed once by a huge catastrophe. Muggles had said that they didn't know what it was and that half the castle had been engulfed by flames in less than a minute. Harry was sure that the only creature that could set stone on fire was a dragon. So it was possible the fight took place near the Cathedral. In the book, it said that it was a possibility it was just a bunch of Gremlins causing chaos, and others claimed that it was the aftermath of Merlin's battle, but they weren't sure. It was the best shot he had anyway.

It was already approaching the afternoon so Harry had to find a way to the Chester Cathedral. He determined, with the map, that it would about an hour's broom ride, unless he could cut it down by going as fast as possible. Even then it would still be about forty minutes. Still, he had to get there. He snuck out of the Ministry, hoping that no body would notice the door swinging open by itself, and flew in the direction toward the cathedral. He just hoped the trip wasn't for nothing.

To his frustration, once he finally got there almost an hour later due to strong winds he realized that he had no idea where to look. The cathedral wasn't incredibly large, but the area around it was. He had no idea where to search. Not only was the church surrounded by tons of muggle homes, but there were also pine trees on one side of it. Harry had to make sure he didn't draw any attention from the muggles. He slipped his invisibility cloak back on and shrunk his broom. How was he going to find the Scale? It could be anywhere underground?

Harry paced back and forth, his footprints digging into the ground. He had to think. He had gotten that far, or at least he had followed all the clues. The question was if someone had already done that before him. How would someone go about searching for an item that was underground? Being since the cathedral was in Cheshire county, which happened to be a muggle community, it would've been hard for anyone to find it even back centuries ago. He had to think intelligently, like Hermione or even like Tom Riddle (although he preferred Hermione).

For twenty or so minutes he stood thinking, pacing back and forth now and again. What could he possibly think of that someone before him—someone probably older and wiser and more powerful—hadn't already tried? He knew the simple answer—to use either a summoning spell or even a tracking charm. But he was certain someone would've already tried those. If the Scale was so hard to find then why had he been able to follow all the clues thus far? There had to be a trick of some sort.

It wasn't that difficult to locate the Pond of Desires. And if he could figure out the poem then someone else could have also, especially Voldemort if he had been searching for it. Although, Harry had the distinct impression Voldemort hadn't spent time searching for it since he had been busy with other things. And during their last encounter Voldemort used the Minister's form as a disguise to make sure of the supposed whereabouts of the Scale. But someone before Voldemort's time could've discovered it.

Harry stopped pacing and his shoulders slumped. "This is impossible! There's nothing I can do that hundreds of wizards and witches before me haven't done. It said in the books that the Scale has been searched for throughout the centuries by various people so if they didn't find it how would I? And if they did then I'm just wasting time," he whispered harshly.

The sky was beginning to darken and he knew that evening was approaching. He let his legs slump beneath him as he landed on the ground. It was hopeless. Harry put his hands on the ground to get comfortable and he felt his scar tingle. He jerked his hand up off the ground and the feeling subsided. Blinking, Harry slowly put his hands back on the ground and the tingling sensation came back.

_It couldn't be…Is it possible my scar can sense the Scale? _

Uncertainly, Harry moved his hands along the grass and the feeling began to subside again. Turning, he trailed his hands in a different direction and his scar began to throb strongly. When the sensation began to fade, Harry backed up to where it felt the strongest. It was nearby a large clump of pine trees. Harry licked his lips and glanced around, even though he was covered in his cloak. No one was nearby so he pointed his wand at the ground and murmured a spell that lifted a large pile of dirt. He kept digging, using the spell, and searched around. He wasn't sure what it would look like, but he was certain it would be noticeable. He was getting down to five feet deep already and he knew that if someone came by at that moment everything could be ruined.

"What's that?" Harry whispered aloud, squinting.

There was something in the dirt. He had to crawl inside the large hole and dug his fingers around something. It was a box, from what he could tell, but it was covered with years of dirt. Climbing out of the hole, Harry set it down and used his wand to fill the hole again. It didn't look exactly the same, but he didn't care. He grabbed the box and used a cleansing spell.

"It looks almost identical to the one at the bottom of the pond," Harry murmured.

It had a beautiful sapphire gem at the front where the lock would be and Harry pushed on it. Just like the last box, it clicked open. He could feel his heart pounding and his adrenaline was pumping fast. Opening it up, Harry stared inside. A long black and somewhat rusted key lay inside. Harry picked it up and examined it. Flipping it over, he saw something carved into the back. _K A L D. _

He stared at it for some time, wondering if it was initials for something or perhaps another clue. He really didn't have time to go searching all over England for this Scale. Harry's head jerked up. The name sounded familiar. His eyes widened in remembrance of when he and the Minister had gone to get the vampires to sign the magical treaty. The vampire leader's name had been Kald. He wasn't sure if that was how it was spelled, but it certainly sounded as if that was correct. But why would a vampire's name be carved on the back of an ancient key that supposedly Merlin buried?

Some voices echoed nearby and Harry saw some muggles exiting the church. He quickly pulled out his wand and summoned his broom. He flew up and headed back in the direction of the Ministry. He was sure he remembered where to go, but he wasn't exactly sure what to do once he got there. The only idea he had was to talk to Kald, the vampire leader and question him gently. Harry was very fortunate that the treaty had been signed so his life was in less danger—at least he hoped it was.

It took some time to find the place even after he got close to the Ministry. He tried to remember where the Minister apparated to. He had to concentrate on the place a couple of times before he found the familiar woods. Walking through it, Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck creep up and he knew he was being watched. He came to the same clearing that he and Minister Scrimageour had come to. Harry turned and saw the pond in the distance and his eyes widened. The pond in that area looked similar to the Pond of Desires, only the leaves on the bushes and willow trees around had a slight glimmer of gold, not ruby.

Something rustled behind him and Harry wheeled around. Several cloaked figures approached and Harry's mind instantly saw Death Eaters. He whipped his wand out but someone caught his wrist from behind. He felt cold breath on his neck and he struggled to get out of the person's grasp. He managed to break free and backed up as he was surrounded.

"A trespasser," one of them hissed.

Harry's heart calmed as he realized the cloaked figures were vampires. Of course that didn't calm his nerves by much.

"I'm here to speak with Kald," Harry said.

The vampires all hissed and exchanged looks between one another.

"Don't speak his name human!" another exclaimed, bearing his fangs. "He is our leader and only we can call him by that name."

"He knows me. I'm Harry Potter," he said to them, not liking the fact that he was outnumbered ten to one. "Please! It's important!"

"And what could possibly be so important to risk your life?" a cold voice spoke from the shadows.

The vampires all moved aside and Kald appeared, walking toward him.

"I…it's about the ice scale," Harry said.

Kald's eyes flickered and stared at him intensely. With a movement of his hand, he made the vampires step back to give them more space. Approaching within a few feet, Kald's teeth bared as he spoke.

"What do you know of the scale, Harry Potter?"

"I know that Merlin hid it. And I know it's somewhere here. Your name was inscribed on the back of this," Harry said, holding up the key.

The vampire took it from him and Harry shivered as the cold fingers brushed up against his. Kald examined the key and then stared at him. Suddenly, he began to walk around him slowly.

"So you found the box and deciphered the poem?" Kald asked from behind him.

Harry turned his head, following his movements and nodded.

"You are not the first to come here looking for it," he hissed.

"But…if that's true then how come the box was still down there with the poem inside of it?"

Kald's lips curled as he came back in front of him. "The person searching for it must have died," he answered. "Merlin made sure it was no easy task to acquire it. Once the scale's power is used the box and key will vanish."

"So then…the scale hasn't been used?" Harry asked, his eyes widening. "Is it here?"

Licking his dry, pale lips, Kald only grinned. "I cannot answer that."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Wait…did you know Merlin?"

The cold laugh that escaped Kald's mouth sent shivers up his spine. "You are the first to ask that, Harry Potter. I shouldn't be surprised. Yes, I knew Merlin…and he entrusted me with the Scale. The undead cannot use its powers, even if we wanted to, because it thrives off of wizard magic."

"Look, I…I don't mean to be rude, but I really need it," Harry pleaded. "My friend's life is in danger."

"Many lives are always in danger," Kald spoke quietly. "Why should your request be any different?"

Kald twirled the key in his hand and then he put his hand in his robe. The key vanished somewhere inside his robe and Harry felt his stomach squirm.

"Many people before you have come with similar requests—their family is dying, or their life is in danger," Kald spoke, circling him again.

The other vampires watched hungrily in the distance and Harry got the distinct impression that the magical contract said nothing of killing those who trespassed in their territory. His life was definitely at stake and he was running out of time.

"I know that it's unfair," Harry said quickly. "There are so many problems in the world and so many people who are suffering that one wish can't possibly help everyone. But Draco needs that Scale and—"

Harry stopped as Kald held up his hand. The vampire stopped circling him and came before him.

"I'll ask you again: Why is your request any different?" the vampire hissed.

"Draco needs it because his life is in danger. He's possibly going to be executed for a crime that he didn't do! I think someone might be framing him; there's no other explanation for the disappearance of all those truth potions. And if he doesn't get it soon he could die or be incarcerated for life for something he didn't do!"

"You believe he's innocent?" Kald asked.

"Yes, I do. And that's why I need to get if for him."

Kald's eyes flashed again and then he reached out a cold, pale hand toward him. Harry tried not to flinch as the cold skin touched his own. Kald traced a long finger across Harry's neck.

"I have heard so many wondrous stories about you, Harry Potter. Of all your powers, bravery, sacrifice…," he hissed the last word. "You would be an excellent addition to my clan."

Harry swallowed thickly and felt his heart skip a beat as the vampire closed the distance between them. He leaned down toward him and Harry suddenly couldn't move; he knew that if he tried to defend himself, the other vampires would come to their leader's aid. Harry stifled a gasp as his chin was lifted, exposing his neck completely.

"But I'm afraid it isn't meant to be," Kald whispered, his cold breath ghosting across his neck.

And then Harry's chin was released and the vampire stepped back. Harry stared at him in confusion. Kald grinned, his fangs gleaming in the dim light.

"You have passed the test, Harry Potter. The only one to do so in all of these centuries since Merlin's death. Merlin requested that not only do I keep the Scale hidden and secret, but that if the right person should come by who is right for the Scale—someone unselfish and not blinded by greed—then I should allow them the chance at it. You are the only one who asked for the Scale in order to give it to another. While others wanted to do good deeds by wishing that family members get well, it is still a selfish wish. You see, those who want it even with the desire to help others could easily be persuaded to wish for themselves once they get a hold of it. But you…," Kald whispered, trailing his fingers across Harry's cheek briefly. "You come here with the desire to _give_ it to the person you are wishing for and that is what I was waiting for."

Harry's mouth suddenly felt dry. "So…you'll let me have the Scale?"

"I'll allow you retrieve it yourself. You see, our Pond is made up of our immortal blood. You see how it's a strange blue-grey color? That is the combination of our undead essence. No body can touch the water without our blood to protect them. And that is why no one has been able to retrieve the Scale, even those that have come as far as you, with the key and all. Some fought us and then dove into the water to retrieve it. They instantly perished—a very painful death. With a bit of my blood, you will have immunity to it. However, I will not lie; the task is not as simple as it seems. There will of course be one last test. And then you can give the Scale to your friend," Kald grinned.

Harry nodded slowly. "But, how is it that I get some of your blood."

"You will have to drink a mix of my blood with some Gillyweed juice. The Gillyweed is just to cover the taste of blood. It will only be a little bit. You will have immunity from the pond's water."

A couple vampires appeared with an old cup that they filled with Gillyweed juice. Harry watched, feeling rather queasy, as Kald bit into his own arm and allowed several trickles of blood to seep in with the juice. Then Kald was handed the cup and he held it out for him. Harry reluctantly stepped forward and took the offered cup in his hands. He tried not to think about it as he threw his head back and swallowed the juice in one gulp. It was bitter and definitely made him feel sick, but it wasn't that much worse than Polyjuice potion.

Kald smiled once more and grasped his chin unexpectedly. He leaned down and ghosted his lips across Harry's cheek, hardly touching.

"I'm very disappointed that you passed the test," he whispered, slipping the key into Harry's hand.

And then he turned and walked away, leaving Harry standing there by the pond. All the other vampires vanished as well. Feeling very uncertain, Harry approached the water. He still wasn't the best swimmer, but he had to try. He couldn't actually believe how much he was doing for the blond; Malfoy definitely owed him. He summoned an air bubble around his head and then dove into the water.

The pond was a lot bigger than it seemed from the surface. It was definitely much deeper than Harry anticipated. He was grateful for learning the air bubble charm. He remembered he had asked Hermione about it during the summer before seventh year started; it was easier than finding Gillyweed to eat and he needed to know it in case he came across anything with water. The water was murky, which really didn't help. He muttered "lumos" and watched as the light from his wand lit up the area around him. The entire bottom was completely barren and the sand was smoothed over; that was most likely because it wasn't an ordinary pond. Normal plants and creatures wouldn't be able to survive.

After swimming around for some time, Harry realized that the pond seemed endless. It was like it didn't have an end. He'd keep swimming forward and looking around but it all appeared the same. This was probably the last test that Kald was referring to. He would have to find the Scale the same way he found the key—using his scar. He only hoped his Scar could sense it without having to touch it.

"Wait…I think Ron used a spell on a Slytherin once, something his brothers taught him. It was an intensifier spell, which he used to intensify the hex he used. Maybe that will work on my scar."

Harry cast the spell on his scar and waited. Nothing appeared to happen but he continued swimming around, hoping that he'd feel something. It was already nighttime, he was sure of it. Suddenly, his scar tingled and Harry stopped. He wasn't sure why it was happening, but somehow his scar could sense things. He wasn't sure what it meant; he had never done that before, besides reacting to Voldemort's presence. Although, it did react to Umbridge and to Kald as well. It seemed that over time his scar was acquiring its own useful power that was getting stronger. Harry still wasn't sure why he was able to sense the key, but he didn't take time to think about it.

Following the feeling in his scar, he dove downward and continued to weave through the endless pond until the sensation became overwhelming. Harry looked around, wondering where it could be coming from. He swam toward the bottom and began running his hands over it. The feeling was getting stronger and Harry knew he was close. He was getting increasingly nervous. His scar erupted with pain and Harry let out a shout of surprise. He backed away slightly, feeling dazed. Despite the pain, he knew that the Scale was there, buried beneath the sand. Pointing his wand at the sand so he wouldn't have to touch it again, Harry muttered "incendio". The sand flew up everywhere and he created a hole, much like he had to find the key.

Something shimmered and Harry peered into the hole, trying not to get too close. His scar was throbbing but he could see something down below. Using his wand he muttered: "wingardium leviosa" and levitated the item up to him. It was definitely shimmering and as it rose up Harry saw that it was a ball, much like Professor Trelawney's crystal balls only Harry was certain it was made out of some sort of magic and it certainly wouldn't predict the future. Harry's scar erupted in pain as he came a little closer. Something shimmering and about as large as his two hands put together was inside of the ball. There was a magical lock on it and he knew that it was meant for the key. Harry was certain it was the Scale; it had to be. He had found it! The magic ball was protecting it and so Harry used his wand to enchant the ball so that it wouldn't affect his scar so much.

Clutching the ball close, Harry swam back up and broke the surface. He swam awkwardly using one hand until he reached the shore. Then he took away the air bubble and shrank the ball down so it fit in his pocket. Summoning his broom, Harry took off toward the sky. He was exhausted from searching all day but he knew that he had to get to the Ministry. He only hoped that he got there in time before Malfoy's fate was decided.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

_**Author's Note:**__** Yes, the romance is about here! After this chapter, it starts blooming MUCH faster. Hehe! I will post warnings before any sexual encounters. **_

To Reviewers: 

**Snowfalcon: **Hehehe! Very true! Wet dreams do tell all! Sorry that nothing yummy happened, but it's definitely approaching now! Yes, Draco's pride is annoying….and Harry has a little bit of it too. But after this event, I promise you they will start to get close much faster. Thanks and I'll update asap!

**Fantasizeaway33: **Hehe! Thanks! I'm very glad you think Harry's in character. Yep, he's always doing heroic things, isn't he? Well, I hope all your questions about the poem and Scale are almost answered. I will update asap!

**5mOk3y: **Hehe! Yeah, actually I do find their fights amusing too. It's always fun to write. Sorry that nothing yummy happened in the bed; it wasn't the right time, but that time's coming up soon! I will update asap!

**Misstree: **Thanks! Yeah, Draco does need a little chill-pill, huh? Well, he'll start to calm down soon, but never completely. He is Draco, and a Slytherin, after all. Hehe! But the romance is coming very soon! I will update asap!

**FlashDrive: **Hehe! I think everyone has perverse tendencies, lol! I mean, I do for just writing it. Hehe! But yes, wet dreams tell all, right? Yes, Harry is slowly realizing his attraction and after this whole Scale thing blows over, by next chapter, then the romance will really start blooming fast. I will update asap!

**Maegwin: **Thanks so much!! I'm glad you're liking how it's going so far! Yes, in the same bed but unfortunately not the time for anything yummy. That's coming up very shortly now, however. Fear not, the lemony-ness is coming! Yay! I'll update asap!


	11. Uninhibited Feelings part 1

**Pure Rhapsody**

_Future Warning__**Next**__ chapter has __**graphic sex**__ between males. _

**Chapter 10: Uninhibited Feelings (Part 1)**

The winds were still strong, making it more difficult to get to the Ministry. He couldn't apparate to save time because he was too exhausted. If he tried and his body was too weak then there was a high risk that something would go wrong. It was about dawn when he finally reached the Ministry building. His next task was to try to figure out where Malfoy was being kept.

Harry covered himself with his invisibility cloak once again and tried to find a way in. No body was coming out so he decided to try one of the windows up top. There were lots of windows on it and Harry murmured "alohomora" on several of them. He was incredibly fortunate to find that one hadn't been sealed with an advanced locking charm so it opened. It was the window to a storage closet. Harry slowly opened the door and peered out. He kept his cloak around him as he walked out into the deserted hallway.

Out of all the levels in the Ministry, he wasn't sure where to start looking. He walked down the dimly lit hallway. As Harry passed a door, it suddenly burst open and he jumped back as it hit him and pinned him against the wall.

"Amos, stop!" an auror called after him.

Harry was squished behind the door, but managed to shimmy over and peer his head out. He was very grateful for his cloak, considering he could've been exposed. Amos Diggory was standing in the middle of the hallway with a furious expression.

"How dare you all try and keep me out of your meetings!" he bellowed. "I don't care if the lot of you think that Slytherin is innocent! That's only five of you against the entirety of Ministry officials! Do you know how many are on my side? Do you know how many I've convinced to execute!"

"You cannot execute a boy, not matter how guilty he may seem!" she shouted, looking horrified.

"He is technically an adult and besides it clearly states in the Ministry law book that murders can either be sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban or be executed by the Death Chamber. And as it stands, because the boy willingly chose to go with his family and do bidding for You-Know-Who, even though he doesn't have the Dark Mark, and attempted to kill Albus Dumbledore alongside the fact that many believe he did kill that wizard and the two aurors they are leaning toward execution! The end of the Malfoy line will be a huge victory! Then that will set an example for the other Slytherins and followers of You-Know-Who that are still in hiding!"

"You can't be serious!" she exclaimed.

"Trust me, I am! If it were up to me and I were Minister I'd have the boy receive a Dementor's Kiss, but as it stands no one but escaped criminals and truly murderous wizards, such as You-Know-Who, deserve that. Not to mention the Dementors can't be trusted much either so officials are thinking of transporting them somewhere else, if they can. But you can bet that the boy will be executed by this afternoon!" Amos exclaimed, lifting up his chin in satisfaction.

Then he stormed off and apparated out of the building. The auror just shook her head sadly and went back in the room, grabbing the door that Harry was stuck behind and shutting it. Although his arms were sore, he took off hurriedly, trying to find the room that the blond was in. He was appalled that Mr. Diggory had convinced most of the Ministry officials to execute Malfoy. They definitely needed a Minister soon—things were getting too chaotic.

Harry started on that level and searched for a magically sealed room. He figured there would be some sort of warning or sign nearby it to let other Ministry officials know not to open it. Unfortunately, it was finding it that was the most difficult part. He searched all around that level and then went up to the top level, since that was the closest. A while later he began to go back down.

His exhaustion was increasing and his stomach was rumbling because he was hungry. It was already nearing nine in the morning and still Harry hadn't found the room. He cursed the building for being so large. After a two minute break to go to the bathroom, he searched the third floor tiredly. Harry halted in the center of one of the hallways, having searched the third floor in its entirety. He was going to go to the second floor until he realized one of the walls was shimmering at a certain angle. Stepping closer, he noticed that the wall had been charmed.

Swallowing, he felt his heart jump inside his chest as he raised his wand. With a simple swish the wall shimmered and letters appeared: _Magically Sealed Chamber—Do not release under any circumstances until all Ministry officials have made their decision concerning Draco Malfoy. _Harry knew it was illegal—he knew that if Hermione or even Ron had any idea about what he was doing he'd get an ear-full from both of them. Using an advanced spell that Dumbledore taught him for emergency purposes only, Harry deactivated the charm by infecting it with a spell that ate away at it. Then he stepped through before the spell wore off. It had taken him a while to learn the spell and in his exhausted state it probably wasn't the smartest idea to use that much magic, but he had to reach Malfoy before it was too late.

Once through the wall, there was a short narrow passage that led to a large metal door. It was shimmering just like the wall and Harry figured that it probably had an alarm to it. That meant if he deactivated it without knowing what charm had been used to seal it, all the Ministry members would know and come running. He stood in front of the door and thought for several minutes. How could he get in without alerting any Ministry officials? Harry bit his lip, struggling with a decision. There was one thing he could do, but it was incredibly risky. He didn't even want to think of the consequences…

No, he had no time to think about that. It was the only way in. Conjuring up a spell, Harry summoned a magical piece of chalk. On the wall of the passage near to the sealed door, Harry drew a rectangle down to the bottom; it resembled a door. The chalk, like acid, burned through and the outline began to glow an eerie white before the wall opened. Harry slipped inside quickly, knowing that he only had up to five minutes before the door would vanish. Harry knew that once inside the sealed room he wouldn't be able to recreate a door because the room was enchanted so that a wand couldn't be used.

Harry walked out into a darkened room. It was similar to Hogwart's tower only it was smaller and had one large window that looked out across the landscape. It was enchanted as well, no doubt, so no body could use it to get in or out. He halted when he saw a figure by the window, staring out at it with his back turned to him. It was Malfoy. Slowly, Harry stepped forward and his shoes made a noise. Malfoy wheeled around and Harry got a good look at his face. The blond's eyes were wide, looking terrified, and they appeared red as well, as if he had been crying recently. His hair was disheveled and he looked rather pale even despite his fair-skin. When Malfoy realized it was him his eyes narrowed instantly and Harry saw his fists clench.

"Come to gloat, Potter!" Malfoy spat, glaring at him so harshly it made him want to turn around and leave. "Come to rub it in my face that I'm getting what I deserve? I don't care what you think! And I don't care what you and your stupid friends say either!" he spat out, shaking with rage. "I hope you drop dead Potter!"

Harry stared at him and took a hesitant step forward. "I'm not here to gloat. I—"

"Save it Potter! I don't want to hear your voice—I don't even want to look at you! So get the bloody hell out of here!" Malfoy snarled.

"NO!" Harry snapped.

Malfoy's eyes widened slightly, but other than that his expression didn't change.

"You think that you can fool me? Is that it?"

"Malfoy, shut the bloody hell up! I'm only here to give you something!" Harry exclaimed.

He pulled out the glass ball, which he had wrapped in a cloth. Malfoy's eyes glanced at it and he sneered.

"You think I don't know what this is, Potter? Some sort of hex or trick for enjoyment before I'm sent to Azkaban!"

"They're not planning to send you there. They're planning to execute you!" Harry exclaimed.

Malfoy's face paled and for a minute his expression gave away his fear. He clenched his fists and glared at him.

"So, that's it! You've convinced them I'm a murderer and now you're here because you want to fool the world! You want them to think you're such a perfect hero and that you've come to see me off!" Malfoy snarled. His hands were shaking and Harry could see that his eyes were beginning to water. "Why don't you go shove your heroic efforts up your arse or have the Weasel do it for you!"

"I don't think you murdered them!" Harry retorted, furrowing his eyebrows.

Malfoy stared at him; his shaking stopped momentarily, probably from surprise and Harry took the opportunity to step closer. He unraveled the cloth and it fell revealing the glass ball. The blond stared at it, his eyes narrowing coldly.

"What the hell is it Potter?" Malfoy snapped. "A crystal ball so I can see my death before it happens!"

"It's the Scale," Harry said bluntly.

Malfoy's eyes widened as his eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. His eyes latched onto the glass ball and he stared at it.

"You expect me to believe that?" Malfoy snapped, after a brief second of silence.

Harry took out the key and turned it in the lock, opening the glass ball. Holding it up, the glass ball rotated and pulled into two separate pieces, revealing the item inside. It was a gorgeous glimmering Scale—it was a pure crystal color, and sparkled like a diamond. The glow around it was its powers, Harry assumed. It illuminated the entire room as it shone brightly. It was the same shape as a scale off the back of a Hungarian Horntail, only it was a beautiful pearl-white and it was twice as large.

Very gently, Harry set it down, along with the key. The Scale was still being held inside the glass ball, but now that it had been opened it was easy to grab it and pull it out. However, Harry didn't touch it. He set the opened glass ball down on the floor only several feet away from where Malfoy was standing. Then he stood back up and stared at the Slytherin, who had watched his every move with an intense gaze.

"This is the Scale. You only get one wish…you should probably do it fast because the Ministry will be here shortly," Harry said quietly, feeling his stomach churn as blood rose to his face.

He couldn't stop the embarrassment that caused his cheeks to flush. It was as if by giving the Scale he was surrendering to Malfoy, or telling him that he was his friend. He couldn't even think beyond that, especially not with the pressure to get out of there before the door closed.

"Look…I don't know exactly how the Scale works, but I advise you not to do anything too drastic," Harry said as he licked his lips nervously.

Malfoy was still staring at the Scale and slowly he lifted his gaze to him.

"If you turn back time even if it doesn't alter the world there's no telling if you'd remember what happened. And if you didn't, you might get into trouble again or the murders could still point to you. I suggest that you just wish to have whatever evidence is against you to be erased, or something," he said, his tone getting softer as he became more uncomfortable with Malfoy's intense gaze.

"So you had it the entire time then, Potter?" Malfoy asked quietly, although his tone was still cool.

Harry shook his head. "No, I didn't. I just remembered the poem and deciphered it. Look, we're running out of time. Just make the wish," Harry said quickly, turning around to leave.

He went back toward the door and hesitated, turning around slowly. Malfoy was staring back down at the Scale and the blond hesitantly approached it. Harry watched as he bent down and reached out toward it, lifting it off the floor. Malfoy stared at it up close and Harry saw his eyes widen with awe. The door made a noise and Harry scrambled to get through before it closed. Once he was safely outside, he put his cloak back on and hurried back the way he came.

Harry didn't stop until he had flown away from the building. He flew all the way to the train station and bought a ticket to go back to the school. There was an empty compartment and he went inside, slumping into the seat. Part of the reason he told Malfoy to not turn back time wasn't so much because of the uncertainty of the Scale's power as the fear of forgetting everything that happened between them.

If Malfoy chose to turn back time, Harry would forget everything—it would be as if they had never fought, or gone to the Embervale academy, or anything. And for some reason, Harry desperately didn't want to forget. He figured it was because he didn't want to lose any of his memory, but there was something more. Something had changed between him and Malfoy, at least from his perspective. He wasn't sure exactly what was going to happen next, but he hoped Malfoy had appreciated that he had given him the Scale.

"Who am I kidding…Malfoy's not going to thank me or anything. He'll probably just see it as stupidity on my part," Harry whispered aloud, leaning his head back against the seat.

Closing his eyes, he caught up on a bit of sleep until he arrived back at the school. He went to the dining hall just to grab some food and he took it up to his room. After eating, he collapsed on his bed and fell asleep. He didn't wake up until the next morning. Harry jumped up, looking around and waved his wand; it showed it was eight in the morning on Sunday. That meant that Malfoy had most likely made his wish, unless the Ministry got there before he wished. But Harry doubted Malfoy would have waited, especially knowing his life was on the line. Throughout the day, Harry nervously went about his studies waiting for news in the Daily Prophet or anything.

Nothing was in the Daily Prophet about Malfoy at all and Harry became increasingly paranoid. He fell into a restless sleep that night and woke up much earlier than necessary the following morning. He then grabbed his things, after getting dressed, and hurried to class. He sat down in his seat and nervously played with his quill. The professor walked in some minutes later and gave him a surprised glance.

"I see you're here early. Are you eager to hear my lecture on Dementors?"

"Er…Dementors?" Harry responded.

The professor smiled. "Harry, I've noticed that you are very devoted to your studies. Now, even though you are my assistant you are required to do a final project for the end of the semester in order to get full credit for assisting me. Also, it's good practice for your N.E.W.T.s. I do know, however, that you also have the N.E.W.T.s preparation class a few times a week in which you're required to do lots of essays on all different fields, am I right?"

"Er, yeah."

"It's not half as bad as having to do everything, like brewing potions alongside all the essay writing. But I know you still have quite a lot of work on your hands. So, for your final project I will allow you to do it on any subject and you can also have a partner as well to help, if you'd like. The semester will be over soon so I hope by then you'll have gained the experience you need."

"Yes sir," Harry answered.

The professor smiled and nodded to him. The students came a few minutes later and Harry's heart hammered loudly in his chest as he searched for a familiar blond. He didn't show and that only made Harry's nerves worsen. When lunch came, Harry trudged toward the dining hall not understanding what could've happened. He had risked his life for that Scale after all just to save Malfoy and it was torture waiting to hear what had become of him.

Harry turned the corner and rammed into someone. He instinctively lashed his hand out and grabbed the other person's shoulder to steady himself. A hand grabbed his wrist harshly and pulled it off, shoving him back a bit. Harry lifted his gaze and stared into the familiar cold silver-blue gaze. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed and he slowly crossed his arms.

"Watch where you're going Potter," Malfoy drawled coolly.

"You…you made the wish?" Harry asked though he suspected he knew the answer.

Malfoy's eyebrows furrowed and he stepped closer. "That's not your business."

"I spent all night looking for that Scale!" Harry snapped heatedly, clenching his jaw.

"I didn't ask you to, Potter! Don't think that I'm going to be in your debt because of it!" Malfoy snapped.

The blond pushed past him and Harry wheeled around, feeling rage bubbling deep within.

"You owe me and you know it!"

Turning around swiftly, Malfoy glared at him as he approached. "I don't owe you anything, Potter!"

Harry's mouth opened and he stared at the blond with both shock and rage. Taking out his wand, Harry shot a hex at him. Malfoy just barely dodged and pointed his wand at him as well.

"Don't think I won't defend myself even though we're in school!" Malfoy spat.

"I can't believe you!" Harry shouted. "But I'm sure Rita Skeeter is _dying_ for a story like this."

Malfoy's gaze darkened intensely. "What the hell does that mean Potter?"

"It means that since you're pretending to be in denial that you owe me anything, I think I'll just go to her and tell her all about the Scale and what I did. Once the Ministry finds out that you used the Scale to get out of it you'll be right back where you started!"

"You think so, Potter?" Malfoy scowled. "And what about you? You think you're going to get off for giving it to me? Besides, they can't arrest me twice for the same crime. Only if there was evidence I murdered someone would I be in the same place!"

"It doesn't matter! People will still see what you are! You may not get arrested again, but I doubt you want your reputation to be ruined," Harry said, narrowing his eyes.

Malfoy scowled and then slowly he sneered. "And what do you want Potter? Some money? Maybe clothes that are actually _in_ style?"

Harry glared at him. "No. I want an actual favor, not bribery."

Malfoy snorted. "Drop dead, Potter. I'm not doing anything for you."

With that the blond turned back around and disappeared around the corner, leaving Harry staring open-mouthed. Angrily, he stomped to the dining hall having lost most of his appetite. The rest of the day went slowly and Harry kept thinking about Malfoy being in debt to him. Technically, Wormtail had been in debt to him either but he didn't ever seem to have to pay him back. Perhaps there really was no magical binding.

That night Harry went to bed feeling worse than when he had been worrying. Some time after he fell asleep he heard a pounding on his door. He opened his bleary eyes and stared at his door, wondering who could be there at two in the morning. Getting up, Harry didn't even think to put anything over his boxers and opened the door. The sight that greeted him was even more bizarre. Malfoy was standing outside his door with an enraged expression. His blond hair was draped messily over his eyes, but it didn't cover the large purple spots that were on his face and even down his neck. Harry wasn't sure if they were all over his body or not since the blond had his robe on, but it was clear something magical had happened.

"What the hell did you do Potter?" Malfoy hissed, pushing him backward so he could step inside.

Harry slipped and fell to the floor, having been too sleepy and disoriented to catch himself. Malfoy shut the door harshly and pointed his wand down at him. Harry stared up at him from his position on the floor.

"It looks like there are magical consequences to being in someone's debt," Harry said, standing up.

He wasn't sure if similar things happened to Wormtail, and he just hadn't cared (because he was hideous anyway) or if maybe it had something to do with the Scale. Either way, the situation was in his favor now.

Malfoy's hands clenched and he scowled. "I've never heard of this happening by giving something to someone, Potter!"

Harry noticed it was just like the girl back in his fifth year who had broken the magical agreement to keep the DA a secret. However…there wasn't a magical agreement on the Scale, unless there was something Kald hadn't mentioned.

"Maybe the Scale realized you were going to pretend I did nothing," Harry said coldly.

The blond's muscles tensed. "You better fix this _now_!"

"The only way to fix it is to do a favor for me, like you should've agreed to in the first place."

"Potter, do you think I'm an imbecile? I know that magical debts are only when there is sacrifice involved! Giving the damn Scale to me isn't a sacrifice!" Malfoy snapped.

"Yes, actually it is," Harry said as the blond's eyes narrowed. "You see, Malfoy, in order to get the Scale I had to risk my life. And I chose to give it to you in the end, so technically it's as if I risked my life for you, which means you _are_ indebted to me."

"You didn't directly save my life! I'm not bound by magic to jump in front of a train for you!"

"It doesn't require you to sacrifice your life, Malfoy," Harry spat. "It just means that you owe me a favor in return. That's all. Otherwise you'll have purple pimples on your face for the rest of your life."

Gazing at him intensely, Malfoy's jaw clenched. "What the hell do you want then, Potter?"

"I…," Harry trailed off. He wasn't sure exactly what he wanted from the blond.

He stared at a purple pimple on Malfoy's forehead and watched as it began to grow slightly bigger. He knew the blond was picky about his appearance so that meant even if Malfoy didn't want to do a favor, he would just so his skin could clear up.

"Stop smiling Potter!" Malfoy snarled, pointing his wand in his face. "Just tell me the favor so I can get it over with!"

Harry hadn't realized he had smiled. He was filled with a sense of accomplishment, being at an advantage over Malfoy. A part of him wanted to ask that Malfoy be friendly to him, but that was easy to avoid. If Malfoy just ignored him and avoided him then he wouldn't have to act friendly. Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

"Potter, I don't have all night!" Malfoy exclaimed.

"Fine," Harry said. "My favor is that I want you to help me with my final project for Professor Everard."

"Excuse me, Potter?" Malfoy drawled. "You can do your own bloody assignment!"

"Professor Everard said I could have a partner to help me if I wanted. And I think it's a rather lenient favor considering that I risked my life," Harry replied coolly.

"Fine!" Malfoy snapped, wheeling around.

"Hold on," Harry said. "We have to make a magical agreement."

"I don't think so Potter!" Malfoy drawled coldly.

"If we do then it'll guarantee that your debt has been paid," Harry said. "And having a magical agreement should make the pimples vanish as long as you keep your word."

"This better work," Malfoy spat as he approached him.

Harry took a hesitant step forward as well, until they were within a foot, and he pointed his wand at his hand. He enchanted his hand with the magical agreement and he watched as Malfoy carelessly waved his wand to do the same.

"Do you agree to help me research and write my project?" Harry asked, holding out his hand.

Malfoy sneered darkly. "Yes!"

The blond roughly grabbed his hand and shook it briefly. Harry felt his entire arm tingle after their hands touched. Their agreement had been magically sealed. Malfoy tugged his hand away, glaring at him. Harry watched in awe as the pimples began to vanish until the blond's skin was once again flawless.

"It worked," Harry said.

Reaching up a hand, Malfoy felt his face and then gazed at him intensely. "Let's get this damn project over with Potter so I can go back to ignoring your existence!"

Harry clenched his jaw and tried not to raise his voice. "Fine. How about we start on it this weekend? We'll meet in the library and—"

"Absolutely not!" Malfoy snapped. "I will not be caught dead studying with you in this school! I don't want anybody to get the idea we're friends."

Harry felt his body shake with rage. "Then where else are we going to study?"

"You get all the supplies and we'll meet at The Aethonon."

"Where's that?"

Malfoy sneered. "It's the inn only a short ways from here Potter. Trust you to be geographically challenged. If you still don't understand, maybe you should look at a map. We're in Napier, New Zealand and the inn is five miles from here. Be there at five in the afternoon, no later."

The blond then turned and walked out, shutting the door behind him without another glance back. Harry threw his wand on the desk in anger and slumped onto the bed. He couldn't believe that he had risked his life and given Malfoy the rare and priceless Scale so that he could have the wish. All of that and still the blond treated him the same. If it wasn't for the magical consequence of the blond being in his debt, he bet Malfoy would've just continued to ignore him.

"What did I expect to happen?" Harry whispered aloud. "It'll take way more than an act of kindness to get Malfoy to change."

Falling backward, he lay on his bed until he fell into a deep sleep.

_The pond was glimmering just how he remembered it. Harry blinked, staring at the ruby-leaved willows and wondering why he was back at the Pond of Desires. He took a step forward and peered into the pond. He saw his confused reflection staring back at him and he realized he was only wearing his boxers. Suddenly, another face appeared behind him and Harry wheeled around. _

"_Malfoy!" he spat. _

_The blond sneered and pointed his wand at him. Harry reached for his wand but he was too late. Malfoy cast a spell on him and he went flying sideways. He landed on the ground and tried to get up but he realized he couldn't. Malfoy approached him, smirking down at him as he kept his wand pointed. _

"_Well, well, Potter, I should've known you'd come here."_

"_What the hell are you talking about? I already gave you the Scale!" Harry exclaimed, struggling to get up. _

"_That's not why you're here," the blond drawled, twirling his wand confidently. _

"_What do you mean?" Harry asked, jerking his arms and legs but he still couldn't get up. _

"_You're always in my business, Potter. Always following me around and spying on me. I know why you do it," Malfoy's smirk widened. _

_Harry saw the blond raise his wand and for a second he thought the blond was going to hex him, or maybe even kill him. Instead, Malfoy turned his wand on himself and instantly his shirt vanished. Harry's eyes widened in shock and he tried not to look at the blond's muscular abdomen; his fair skin was glimmering looking ethereal in the glow that came from the pond. _

"_Malfoy! What…what the hell are you doing?"_

"_Don't pretend, Potter," Malfoy drawled, bending down as he touched his wand to Harry's knee. Very slowly he trailed the wand up his thigh and back down. "I know what you want."_

_Harry stared at him in shock but the blond continued to trail his wand up and down his thigh. Then Malfoy stood up and dropped his wand. He placed his hands on his jeans and began unbuttoning them. Harry's mouth seemed to freeze and he tried to keep his eyes on the blond's face, but they darted down to where the blond's hands were. The pants pooled around Malfoy's ankles and he stood in boxers similar to Harry's. Then Malfoy approached him until his feet were brushing against Harry's and the blond peered down at him. _

_Smirking, Malfoy raised his hand and suddenly began lowering it toward his boxers. The blond's fingers slipped beneath the elastic of the boxers and disappeared inside, heading downward toward his crotch. _

"_Is this what you want, Potter?" Malfoy drawled, as Harry's eyes were fixed on the hand that was moving inside the boxers. _

_Although he couldn't see anything, the bulge in the boxers caused by Malfoy's hand told him what the blond was doing. The blond continued to move his hand inside his boxers and the smirk never left his face. Finally, he removed his hand and slowly pulled down one side of the boxers, showing the crease that led to his crotch. Harry could make out a tiny bit of blond hairs that led from below his bellybutton downward. Swallowing, he tried to find words to say—to tell the blond to stop, but nothing came out. _

_Malfoy suddenly bent down and grasped behind both of Harry's knees. He made a sound of surprise as the blond moved his legs apart. _

"_Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed, feeling blood rise to his face. _

_The blond just smirked down at him and slowly moved his hands. His fingers began moving up Harry's leg to his thigh, but instead of going back down, the blond's fingers moved to the back of Harry's thighs. His fingers then began slowly slipping up into Harry's boxers, brushing up against his rear. Harry's hips jerked upward in surprise and his eyes widened. _

"_Stop!" _

"_Do you really want me to?" Malfoy drawled. "Or do you want this?" the blond suddenly grasped Harry's boxers and yanked them down. _

_Harry gasped in shock, feeling helpless since he couldn't move. He saw Malfoy stare between his legs and the blond glanced back up, still smirking. Harry struggled again to no avail. He glanced down and to his embarrassment he saw that he had an erection. _

"_Tell me, Potter, do you want this?" Malfoy asked quietly, the smirk still resting on his features. _

_Harry's eyes glanced at the blond's hand and he saw Malfoy's fingers grasp his own boxers. Slowly, the blond pulled down his boxers. Because of the position Harry was on the ground, and since the blond had propped his knees up after caressing him, Harry could only see down to the crease leading downward toward Malfoy's crotch; he couldn't actually see the other boy's penis, but he knew the blond had taken his boxers off. _

"_Malfoy," Harry said as it came out in a shaky whisper. Harry wanted to tell him to stop, but he couldn't. _

_The blond grasped behind Harry's knees again and pushed his legs up, causing his legs to spread more. Then Malfoy suddenly leaned over him and Harry felt his heart leap in his throat as the blond's hands came to rest on either side of his head. Glancing downward, Harry saw that Malfoy was positioned between his legs and although he still couldn't see the blond's penis, being since his own erection was in the way, he suddenly felt more vulnerable than he had ever been. _

"_What do you want?" Malfoy whispered, staring down at him. _

_Harry swallowed and stared up into the intense silver-blue eyes. Malfoy's lips curled wider and the blond suddenly lifted a hand and trailed it between them. Harry gasped, arching his back as Malfoy squeezed his erection and he suddenly released a groan. Then Malfoy trailed his fingers down to Harry's leg and lifted it up. Slowly, the blond pushed his leg up and back until Harry's knee rested on his own chest. _

_As he did so, Malfoy lowered himself even further onto him until their chests were touching. And suddenly Harry felt something warm just barely brush against his entrance. He couldn't tell what it was but he knew something was there; although his senses were limited he figured that he knew what it was. _

"_Don't pretend, Potter," Malfoy drawled again, smirking widely. "I know you want me."_

Gasping, Harry's eyes snapped open and he stared up at the ceiling. The images were still fresh in his mind and he sat up, surprised and shocked by the dream. Throwing the sheets off of him, Harry saw that he had had another wet dream. Cursing, Harry grabbed his wand and waved a cleansing spell over him and the bed. Roughly dragging his hands through his hair, Harry collapsed backward and sighed heavily. He rubbed his face several times, trying to forget what he had just dreamed. He couldn't believe he had another dream about Malfoy again. This couldn't be happening!

To distract himself, Harry got dressed and went to the dining hall for something to eat. He was thankful that Malfoy wasn't there, only a couple other students. Sighing heavily, Harry sat down and piled his plate with food. Shortly after he began eating, he saw an owl fly down to him. It landed gracefully next to him and stuck out its leg. Harry grabbed the letter and opened it.

_Harry,_

_I know you're probably really busy with your offer at the Embervale Academy, but we're worried about you. We haven't heard from you since you got there and I just wanted to make sure everything is going alright. Ron's been in a bad mood lately because N.E.W.T.s. are approaching and homework is really piling up. Ginny also says she misses you; she wanted me to let you know that she's happy with her new boyfriend and to not worry about her. I miss you as well, Harry, and I hope you're getting a great experience there. I can't wait for you to come back when it's time for the N.E.W.T.s. Take care and reply soon!_

_Your friend,_

_Hermione_

Folding it, Harry glanced at his plate and saw the owl munching on his toast.

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed, shooing it away.

The owl hooted and stepped back, ruffling its feathers. Harry then held out his hand gently and the owl climbed onto him, perching on his shoulder. He then went back to his room for parchment and a quill and wrote a reply:

_Hermione,_

_I'm really sorry I haven't written to you guys! The truth is that I've been so busy I forgot all about it. I feel awful. Everything is fine here, don't worry. The professor is really nice and I'm learning a lot. I think I'll be prepared for the N.E.W.T.s. I can't wait till I come back either. I think Malfoy's coming back too to take it with us. Don't worry, we haven't been getting into trouble. I'll see you in a few weeks. _

_Your friend,_

_Harry_

Harry gave the letter to the owl and it took off, flying out of the room. He felt bad hiding what had happened, but he didn't want Hermione to worry. He would tell his friends eventually. That reminded him that the N.E.W.T.s. were approaching and he hoped that he would be prepared. He had been studying and doing homework for the preparation class, but Malfoy was still a big distraction. Harry decided for the rest of the day he would study and not worry about the blond. After all, they would be meeting at the inn in just a couple of days.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

To Reviewers: 

**FlashDrive: **Lol! Yep, Harry has a vampire admirer. Unfortunately, vampires won't be appearing again, but they served their purpose. Ah yes, the romance is blooming now. The next chapter has a lemon! And you're right, Draco is pig-headed, which is why he had to be forced into doing a favor for Harry. Hehe! Thanks again! I'll update asap!

**Maegwin: **Thanks! Yep, the Scale mystery has been solved! And next chapter has the lemony-ness! Hehe! I will update asap!

**Misstree: **Thank you! I'm glad this is keeping you interested. I will update asap!

**Missy Padfoot: **Lol! Yep, the lemon is coming up next chapter!! Hehe! And then their relationship will start to improve, bit-by-bit. Yep, Harry is such a good person. But I suppose if he wasn't there would no way for our beautiful guys to come together. I'll update asap!

**Snowfalcon: **Thanks!! I'm so glad you liked the idea of the Scale and of Amos being a bad-guy. Ah yes, you'll find out about the Veritaserum, don't worry. I'm afraid poor Harry didn't earn a thank-you kiss, but it's definitely coming! The lemon is in the next chapter! I'll update asap!


	12. Uninhibited Feelings part 2

**Pure Rhapsody**

_Chapter Warning:__ This chapter has __**graphic sex**__ between males. _

**Chapter 11: Uninhibited Feelings (part 2)**

The weekend came and Harry was feeling rather nervous. He got directions to the inn and brought the supplies he needed, including the research books he picked out. He didn't know why he had chosen that particular favor, but he couldn't very well go back on it now. Sighing, Harry slipped on his dark jeans and nice-fitting black t-shirt before he flew off toward the inn. It was only a ten minute broom ride, to Harry's relief.

The Aethonon was much larger than the inn Malfoy had been at with the aurors. There was a main room where there was a pub and booths for people to sit and have meals. Then there was a back room that had a pub where people could order drinks. There were couches and chairs all over and Harry spotted the blond on a couch in the corner of the room. As expected, Malfoy gave him a sneer as he approached.

"Alright Potter, let's get this over with," Malfoy drawled, taking a swig of his drink.

Harry blinked, surprised that the comment hadn't been spat out at him, or exceptionally cold. He wondered briefly if perhaps Malfoy really was grateful for what he had done, but he just didn't want to show it. Taking out the research books and parchment and quill, Harry sat down in the chair next to the couch Malfoy was using.

"Here are the books and everything."

"What are you doing this bloody thing on Potter?" Malfoy asked, staring at him intensely.

"The professor said I could do it on anything I wanted to. And I chose to do it on Merlin."

Malfoy's eyes slightly widened in surprise, but then his eyes narrowed.

"You better not say anything about the Scale."

"I won't say anything that isn't already known in mythology books, Malfoy," Harry said coolly. "Even if I were desperate and stupid and wrote in that I found the Scale and gave it to you of all people, the professor would never believe me."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "What the hell does that mean, Potter?" he seethed.

Inwardly, Harry felt satisfaction in being able to insult the Slytherin subtly, even if Malfoy figured it out. No body would have ever believed Harry would have done anything so generous for the likes of a Malfoy. A part of him was feeling regret because he expected the blond to be nicer around him. In fact, he really wished that he could read Malfoy's mind to figure out if he really _was_ grateful or not. Harry's eyes widened. Although he knew a bit of Legilmency, he wasn't that good but perhaps Hermione knew a faster way to increase the power of his Legilmency.

"What are you gawking at Potter?" Malfoy snapped heatedly.

Harry hadn't realized he was staring at the blond with wide eyes.

"Er, nothing. So, for this project I have write four parchments worth—"

"_Four_ bloody parchments?" Malfoy shouted, clearly outraged.

Harry almost rolled his eyes, but he didn't. "Yes. And it's basically a report on Merlin's life, but I want to focus mainly on his famous encounters, including the ice dragon," he said, as Malfoy glared at him darkly. "Also, I have to include either sketches from a book, for creativity, or create my own, like what I imagined happened. There are many things missing and some documents are merely hypothetical, because not a lot was written during Merlin's time, so the professor said I could use the research and also include my opinions. Oh, and everything has to be charmed in a book."

"I get it Potter," Malfoy drawled coldly. "You have to make your own research book with hypothetical sketches and whatnot."

"Er, yeah," Harry said, looking away from the heated gaze. "Look, I was thinking we'll split it up. You can focus on one famous event in his life and I'll do another, for right now. We'll do it piece by piece and then put everything together."

"We'll work until nine, no later Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed.

"What?" Harry's eyebrows furrowed.

"You said to help you, but you didn't specify how much I have to do," Malfoy sneered.

Harry's fists clenched momentarily, but he shrugged. "Fine. If you want to risk getting those hideous pimples, be my guest."

Malfoy's smirk faded into a scowl.

"You know the more we work on it the faster it will get done," Harry said, glancing at him. "If you want to get this over with, I suggest we work diligently for the next week. We might even be able to get it finished in that amount of time."

The blond stared at him for several seconds and then leaned back. "Fine, Potter! We'll work every day here after classes from now on. And we won't be working any later than nine!"

"What's so important at nine? Curfew isn't until eleven," Harry said unable to hide his annoyance.

Malfoy sneered. "None of your business, Potter. I want some time to my bloody self, that's all you need to know."

Harry stared at the blond as he took another swig of his drink. When Malfoy glanced at him and gave him a cold stare, Harry let a wide smirk show.

"Oh, I think I know what's going on," Harry said smugly.

"What Potter?" Malfoy snapped.

Remembering what took place at the last inn, Harry raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Are there Veelas here too, Malfoy? You know, I didn't expect you to be that desperate—"

"Shut the bloody hell up!" Malfoy snarled, slamming his drink on the table. "Just because I can get sex more than you, doesn't make me desperate!"

"The Veelas will sleep with anyone, regardless of looks, Malfoy," Harry said.

"You think you're so bloody smart, don't you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Then I'm right."

"No, Potter, you're not!" Malfoy snapped, glaring at him. "I'm not waiting for Veelas. That's something you and that Weasel would do because you can't get anybody else!"

Harry glared darkly at him, fighting the urge to take out his wand and hex him.

Smirking, Malfoy leaned back again. "I don't need to be desperate because I can get anybody I want no matter where I am. I certainly don't need Veelas. I just like to enjoy myself at pubs, Potter, which is something I'm sure you couldn't handle."

"I've been at pubs plenty of times," Harry said, clenching his jaw.

"Not ones like this," Malfoy drawled, smirking widely. "These pubs not only have drinking, but they have drinking games and all sorts of activities that go on. And they may have Veelas Potter but the Veelas here don't come out into the audience looking for people with money," his smirk widened. "They strip in front of everyone."

Harry felt his stomach clench uncomfortably, but he tried not to show it on his face. He just stared at Malfoy with narrowed eyes.

"If someone wants sex from them they have to pay handsomely and go into one of the bedrooms up the stairs," Malfoy said, gesturing with a jerk of his head. "You can also pay for massages and anything you want. So you see Potter? This inn is much more than just a pub. And I'm sure you couldn't handle it."

"Why the hell would you assume that?" Harry asked darkly.

"Because, Potter, I bet you've never played any drinking games before and I bet you've never been completely smashed. I doubt you could hold more than a few glasses of butterbeer," he sneered as Harry glared angrily. "And knowing your pathetic attempts at even having a girlfriend, I bet you're still a virgin."

Harry felt his insides squirm and his hands became clammy, but he pretended not to be bothered. Glaring, Harry kept eye contact.

"You have no right to assume anything about me, Malfoy. You don't know me."

"Oh really?" the blond drawled. "If you're not a virgin then who have you slept with?"

"Why would I tell you?" Harry retorted angrily. "So you can go to the Daily Prophet with that information?"

Malfoy snorted. "Please, Potter, like I'd waste my time going to the papers about you. Why, is it someone you're ashamed of?" he smirked. "Like Weasel's sister?"

"No!" Harry exclaimed and Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "I did not sleep with her. And I'm not telling you anything. It's none of your business."

Malfoy's lips curled into a sneer that made Harry glare with embarrassment. He wondered what the blond was thinking.

"Let's just get this done, Malfoy," Harry spat, opening one of the books. "I'll do research on his fight with the two-headed serpent and the ice dragon. You can do something else out of the other books."

Harry then got started reading, trying his best to ignore Malfoy. The blond scowled darkly but he carelessly picked up a book and opened it. Both of them thought it was the best way to ignore the other.

There were many depictions of Merlin, especially in the muggle world, but all adaptations that muggles presented were incorrect, according to the ancient legends book he was reading. One muggle story claimed that Merlin was the child of an incubus (a male demon that lies down upon women in the night and has sex with them, while sucking their energy and life essence, only to create more incubi) and a mortal woman, which is how he obtained his powers. The truth was that Merlin was what would be an ordinary wizard in their time, but in his time he was an extraordinary male with unexplainable powers. He was the beginning of sorcery and he showed that with training there were many others out there who possessed powers too, which is why he took the mortal Arthur under his wing because he had sensed power in him.

As Harry continued to read, he became so absorbed in jotting down notes and the interesting history about Merlin, that it wasn't until Malfoy snapped a book shut that Harry glanced up.

"What?"

"It's five minutes to nine, Potter," Malfoy drawled.

Harry glanced over at his parchment and saw two pages worth of notes. He had only just barely gotten one page. The blond had crossed his arms smugly and pushed the resources back over to him.

"You can be the one to put it all together since it's your assignment."

"That's not all you're going to do," Harry said, taking the blond's notes. "There's still more to do and you made a magical vow, which means even if there wasn't the threat of those nasty pimples you still have to help me with however much I ask."

Malfoy's expression darkened. "When this is over Potter I'm going to make sure I hex you good for this."

"Hex me? For what, saving your life?" Harry countered hotly.

Malfoy stared at him and Harry kept the intense gaze. "You can deny it all you want, Malfoy, but the truth is I not only risked my life, but I saved yours. You would've been either rotting in Azkaban, or from what I overheard, most likely executed like your parents."

"Don't patronize me with your heroics, Potter!" Malfoy snarled.

There was something in Malfoy's expression that got Harry's attention. He couldn't understand how the blond could be so damn cold and rude when Harry did all that for him, but there was a reason. Malfoy was hiding his feelings—he could tell that much. He wouldn't get a straight answer out of the blond and the only possibility was asking Hermione that favor.

Without a response, Harry grabbed all the books and parchment, stood up and turned around. Just as he was beginning to walk away, the blond spoke.

"Potter!"

Harry turned around. "What?"

"Be here no later than one tomorrow! I want to get this over with!"

Harry glared and then wheeled back around. So it seemed that on the weekends they would get together earlier and on the weekdays it would be after classes. That meant Harry would have to buy dinner at the inn during the week. By the time Harry got back to his room, he was exhausted and frustrated. Hardly any of his project had been completed and Malfoy insisted that they get together every day. Slumping down on his bed, Harry wondered if things could get any worse.

**XXXXX**

_DAY TWO…_

After writing a letter to Hermione, Harry reluctantly arrived back at the inn by one as Malfoy had demanded. The blond hardly said a word to him as he sat down placing the books and parchment he had lugged along with him on the table. Harry tried to concentrate on the project, having worked hard the previous night combining his notes with Malfoy's.

Harry glanced over at Malfoy and saw that the blond was eating some fried dragon eggs as he sipped some tea. The Slytherin had enchanted his quill to write for him and it only annoyed Harry further. After a little while, Harry got thirty and hungry and got up to get something. When he got back Malfoy was still ignoring him and Harry saw that he was reading the Daily Prophet.

"Malfoy," Harry said firmly. "You need to help with the project."

"Quit bossing me around, Potter!" Malfoy snapped, throwing the paper down. "I can take breaks whenever I like. You said to help, not do most of it."

"If you remember, I worded it to ask you if you agree to help research _and_ write my project," Harry said darkly. "And if you don't I'm sure there are worse consequences than ugly purple pimples."

"_Don't_ threaten me," Malfoy hissed, narrowing his eyes. "I'm already doing enough for your bloody project."

"You have to do more than take notes. I agreed to put the whole thing together—"

"Good!" Malfoy snapped.

Harry glared. "But I also need to do a magical presentation with the report, which means we use this special enchanted paper," he said pointing to it on the table. "I'm going to show illusions of the legendary battles Merlin fought along with details of the mythological creatures he went up against."

"Whatever, Potter. I don't care," Malfoy drawled.

"Look, you said you wanted to get this over with, right?" Harry asked, trying not to raise his voice as the blond gazed at him carelessly.

"Of course. Spending this much time with you is making me ill," Malfoy said, sipping his drink smugly.

Harry clenched his fists, fighting the urge to remind the Slytherin of what he had done. "And the presentation is going to take the longest compared to the actual report because of the magic that has to be used in order to create the images and seal them into the enchanted parchment!"

"What's your point, Potter?"

"My point is that we should get that part over with first since it'll take the longest," he said, biting his lip to keep from insulting the arrogant blond.

"Fine!" Malfoy snapped.

Harry angry waved his wand to allow the enchanted parchment to grow to its normal size. Then he lowered it to the center of the table. Harry glanced at the blond but he didn't move.

"Move, Potter," Malfoy drawled.

Glaring heatedly, Harry levitated the parchment and went to sit on the couch that Malfoy was on, making sure there was at least a half a foot distance between them. He then set the parchment on the center of the table in front of them. Malfoy sneered at him and then began waving his wand to make images appear. Harry followed suit and they began working on the presentation.

Glancing at the blond out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw that the blond was leaning forward so that his shirt was hanging low, exposing some of his chest. Instantly, images from his dreams came into his mind and Harry had to turn his head away to keep the blood from rushing to his face. He was so confused about Malfoy; he could never in his life have imagined working with him, or saving his life, or especially seeing him naked and having dreams…

No! He had to stop thinking about them. The dreams were probably just a consequence of what had happened because of the Pond of Desires. Then again, the book had said that the Pond only brought out what was already present in a person…and that meant they were attracted to one another, didn't it? The blond had kissed him and touched him and then Harry had…

_Merlin, why the hell can't I focus? Why can't these thoughts just leave me alone!_

Harry closed his eyes, hoping that he could block any thoughts and images about Malfoy from his mind.

"Slacking already, Potter?" a cold voice drawled, pulling him back to reality.

Harry opened his eyes and quickly glanced at the blond. "Shut-up, Malfoy."

The blond sneered but thankfully didn't say anything else. And for several hours they worked together on the presentation. Harry tried not to get too close to Malfoy as he worked. Then a while later, without a word, Malfoy got up and walked out of the room. Harry gazed at the blond's back as he walked out, wondering if he was going to get more food, or perhaps he was going to the bathroom. However, after waiting twenty minutes for him to return, Harry decided to go find him.

Malfoy was sitting in the next room drinking, lying back against a couch.

"What are you doing?" Harry exclaimed, approaching him.

"I'm taking a break, Potter! Now get out of my face!"

"We only have until nine, Malfoy!" Harry spat.

The blond's eyes narrowed. "You said nothing about not taking breaks in our magical agreement."

Harry clenched his fists and then stomped away. He hoped Malfoy would just take a ten minute break, but after working on his project for another half-hour without the blond, he decided to get up and go give Malfoy a piece of his mind. The blond was still drinking and at the same time he was watching the show up on stage. Instead of Veelas this time, it was a band—the name _The Dragon Clan _was flashing in the air above them as they sang; it was two girls and two guys. The main singer was surprisingly the taller male with shoulder-length brown hair and hazel eyes.

Malfoy was sipping another drink, his skin somewhat flushed, as he watched the performance. One of his legs was propped up on the couch and he had taken off his robe. The silky-black shirt he wore beneath it was designed so it exposed the top of his chest; it was loose and Malfoy had rolled up the long-sleeves to his elbows. His head was tilted back on the couch with his eyes lidded; his short blond hair was draped over the couch and his somewhat longer bangs brushed along the sides of his face.

"Malfoy!" Harry spat, after hesitating.

The blond's head lifted and turned to him. "What do you want, Potter?" Malfoy drawled.

Harry could tell he was tipsy by the way his drawl somewhat slurred. "You're supposed to be helping me!"

Malfoy smirked lazily and leaned back against the couch again as he lifted his arms. It caused his shirt to part even more exposing part of his left nipple. Harry's eyes quickly moved away from his chest.

"This is my break time, Potter, and I don't feel like helping you."

"You've been on a break long enough, Malfoy! If you don't help me you're going to get those nasty pimples again!"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed and the blond got up so fast Harry didn't think to react. The blond grabbed him roughly by the arms and slammed into a nearby wall. They went unnoticed by the others in the room because the band was playing loudly. Harry struggled but Malfoy thrust his knee between his legs, causing Harry to wince.

"Don't threaten me Potter!" Malfoy spat, his alcoholic breath ghosting across his face.

Malfoy's knee pressed against Harry's crotch and he bit his lip to try not to show his discomfort.

"Get off!" Harry exclaimed.

With one last jerk of his knee, Malfoy released him harshly and then slumped back onto the couch.

"Now leave me alone, Potter!"

Clenching his fists, Harry glared at him as he smugly turned back to watching the performance. Without thinking, Harry took out his wand and muttered a hex underneath his breath. When it hit Malfoy in the chest, as he was taking a sip of his drink, he choked a bit but just wiped his mouth and continued to ignore him.

Harry quickly summoned his things and walked out of the inn before Malfoy could suspect what he had done. He immediately got on his broom and flew away toward the school. Once he got back he shut himself in his room and after slipping into his boxers he slumped onto the bed. He forgot to lock the door because he was so frustrated and tired. Harry lay atop the covers on the bed, breathing heavily in the dark.

He closed his eyes and lay in the dark waiting for sleep to claim him. He didn't know how long he had closed his eyes, but as he was slipping off to sleep, he heard his door burst open. His eyes snapped open instinctively and Harry jumped up.

"POTTER!" Malfoy hissed, pointing his wand at him. "What the hell did you do to me?"

In the dark it was hard to make out, but he knew that the hex he placed on the blond had turned his hair pink.

"I didn't do anything," Harry said, not wanting to fight.

"I know it was you!" Malfoy said, lunging at him.

Harry dodged as best as he could, but it was hard to see in the dark room. He heard Malfoy crash into his bureau and he figured the blond was probably drunk. His speech was only slurring occasionally, but by the way he stumbled toward him it was obvious he had drunk too much.

Harry tried to go around the bed, but Malfoy kicked out his leg and it rammed into Harry's side. Groaning, Harry fell to the floor and scrambled to get to his feet. Malfoy lunged at him clumsily and managed to push him backward. Harry's back hit the wall and Malfoy made a move to punch him. Harry quickly dodged the punch by diving out of the way.

"Fix it now Potter!" Malfoy snarled.

"Only if you stop assaulting me!" Harry exclaimed back.

He quickly put a silencing charm around the room so they didn't draw the attention of any teachers that were possibly walking the halls.

Malfoy seethed, but he stopped where he was just a few feet away. His eyes were narrowed—that much Harry could tell in the dark, but he couldn't make out much detail.

"Fix it Potter!"

Harry reluctantly turned his wand toward the blond and muttered the anti-hex. The dimly glowing magic hit Malfoy's head and the blond muttered "Lumos" and then summoned a mirror to see if it had been fixed. Malfoy's wand illuminated the both of them standing in the dark. Harry was breathing heavily, clad in only his boxers, as he kept a firm grip on the chair by his desk. Malfoy was beside his bed staring into his reflection. Slowly, the blond made the mirror vanish and he glared at him.

"You're going to pay for humiliating me!"

"Malfoy, stop! If we're caught fighting—"

The blond was apparently too drunk and angry to care as he lunged at him again. Harry managed to kick him away, hearing a loud grunt as the blond stumbled backward. He went for his wand, but surprisingly Malfoy managed to shoot a hex at him first. Harry tried to jump up onto the bed to escape it, but it grazed him anyway. He was thrown backward onto the bed and bumped his head on the headboard.

Malfoy jumped up onto the bed after him and Harry swung his leg up unexpectedly up between the blond's legs. Malfoy's wand dropped onto the bed and he groaned loudly, wincing as he clutched his crotch. The other boy slumped onto the bed and Harry scooted away, his heart pounding in his chest. Malfoy was lying on his side, still clutching his crotch; he was turned away from Harry and he remained still on the bed, breathing deeply.

Harry swallowed uncertainly. He waited for several minutes and the blond still didn't budge. He was beginning to think maybe he had kicked too hard. If he injured Malfoy then he'd be the one to get in trouble.

"Malfoy?" Harry whispered aloud in the dark.

His eyes were adjusted now and even though it was dark he could still see Malfoy on the bed, breathing slowly.

Reaching out a tentative hand, he tapped Malfoy's shoulder. The blond released a groan and slowly turned over. Harry scooted closer to inspect him and picked up Malfoy's wand from off the bed, muttering lumos. The blond winced even though his eyes were closed as the light shone upon him. His face was definitely flushed, a lot more than when Harry left the inn, which meant Malfoy was smashed. Harry was surprised that the blond had had enough sense to find him and fight him. It seemed that the drinking was completely catching up to him now.

Harry noticed that Malfoy had stopped holding his crotch, which hopefully meant he wasn't in pain anymore. Still, a completely smashed Malfoy wasn't any better than an injured one. Malfoy groaned, reaching up a hand to his forehead to shield his eyes. Harry put Malfoy's wand on the bed, making the room dark once again. The blond slowly moved; Harry blinked, trying to adjust back to the darkness. Because he was waiting for his eyes to adjust, he didn't realize the blond was shifting closer until Malfoy's body pressed up against his leg.

Malfoy made a noise in the back of his throat and slowly sat up. He was still wobbly because he was drunk and he unexpectedly fell over, his body collapsing on Harry's. He fell backward, but pushed the blond's arms up to try and get him off. Malfoy groaned and tried to steady himself; his hand accidentally pressed against Harry's bare chest as he struggled to sit back up. The blond was now sitting up right by Harry's side; Harry was half lying down with his elbows propped up and one hand still trying to push Malfoy up. Now in his sitting position, the blond's hand was on Harry's chest.

Harry's throat constricted and he made a move to pry the blond's hand away. Malfoy's hand moved so Harry stalled. Unexpectedly, the blond's fingers trailed up his chest to his neck. Harry's body felt paralyzed as the hand move across his skin. He wanted to tell Malfoy to snap out of it, or get out of his room, but the words got stuck in his throat. Against Harry's wishes, his heart was pounding harder.

The fingers moved down his chest and trailed over his abdomen. Without warning, the fingers dipped lower and brushed across his crotch. Harry jolted and backed away, knocking his back on the headboard.

"Malfoy, stop! You're drunk!" he exclaimed.

Harry lifted Malfoy's wand and murmured "lumos" again so that Malfoy could see him clearly; maybe it would snap him out of his drunken trance. The blond squinted and stared at him. Harry breathed heavily and gazed back, wondering if the other boy realized where he was now.

Suddenly, Malfoy crawled toward him and Harry's eyes widened. The blond pressed his body atop his and Harry couldn't escape because he was backed as far as possible. Harry pressed his hands against Malfoy's chest, trying to push him off.

"Malfoy! Get off! What are you doing?" Harry asked nervously.

Jerking upward, Harry gasped loudly as Malfoy's teeth lightly sunk down into his shoulder. His skin unexpectedly rose with goosebumps. Reflexively, Harry shoved Malfoy backward, effectively pushing the other boy away.

The blond groaned as he fell backward. Seconds later, he turned and vomited over the side of the bed. Harry watched as the blond's head slumped down and he sighed heavily. Hopefully Malfoy wouldn't remember any of it. Getting off the bed, Harry retrieved his own wand, cleaned up the vomit and then Malfoy. He shoved Malfoy's wand in the blond's hand. Summoning a bucket of cold water, Harry poured it over Malfoy's head effectively getting the blond to open his bleary eyes. Then he used a charm to dry him and grabbed his arm. Malfoy stumbled upright and Harry led him to the door.

"Go to your room, Malfoy," Harry said, glancing at him uncertainly. He felt blood rise to his face thinking about Malfoy having crawled on top of him.

Walking out on shaky legs, the blond managed to walk away. Harry figured he'd be fine since the alcohol was beginning to wear off. Closing his door, after watching Malfoy make it down the hallway, Harry slumped against the door and exhaled loudly. His heart was still racing and his mind was trying to catch up with what happened. Malfoy was drunk, but he had seen him…at least Harry thought so when he had provided light…and still the blond had crawled atop him and bit him. Harry glanced down at his shoulder to see the vague imprint of teeth marks. Quickly, he waved his wand over it and it vanished.

"What the hell was he trying to do?" Harry whispered aloud in the dark.

He felt his stomach tingle with an unusual sensation and he tried to ignore it. When Malfoy had bit him it had caused goosebumps to rise on his skin and his heart had pounded harder. Not to mention Malfoy had almost touched his crotch…

"Damn it, stop thinking so much!" he cursed aloud, shaking his head. "He was just drunk; he probably thought I was a Veela!"

Harry forced the thoughts from his head and climbed into bed. The next day would start classes and he and Malfoy would meet at the inn just before dinner. He was suddenly dreading it; what if Malfoy remembered climbing on top of him, or rubbing his chest? Would he blame it on Harry again? His face felt hot again so Harry turned over and pushed his face into his pillow. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to fall asleep, hoping that he would just forget the incident entirely.

**XXXXX**

_DAY THREE…_

Harry couldn't focus the whole day, especially when the first class came around. He glanced at Malfoy only once to see the blond sitting in the back with a bored expression on his face. His eyes looked tired as well and Harry could tell he probably had a slight hangover. Otherwise, the Slytherin didn't appear to be acting any different, unless he was trying to pretend like he didn't remember what had happened.

When the last class of the day ended, Harry packed up his things slowly. He was really dreading his usual meeting with Malfoy. After the professor told him the subject for the next day, Harry trudged out of the classroom and toward his room to change into something more comfortable. He put on a pair of black jeans that fit snugly and decided to wear his most expensive shirt. It was a forest green and it was made out of the skin of a Sea Serpent also known as the Loch Ness Kelpie (and in muggle legends the Loch Ness Monster, even though the monster in reality has always been harmless to humans).

The material, because of the strange thick shimmering skin of the Loch Ness creature, felt velvety and looked that way too. It was very rare to have any clothes made from the skin of the Sea Serpent, because although Harry knew it was harmless it was also difficult to capture. Over the past couple decades, the Sea Serpent was becoming extinct and there were laws around most of the world which banned the capture and killing of Sea Serpents. So hardly any clothing was made from it anymore, with the exception of the few incredibly expensive stores that had hunted the creatures and still had some skin left over.

Exhaling deeply, Harry grabbed his broom and flew off toward the inn with the supplies. He got there with a couple minutes to spare and walked inside. It was already becoming increasingly busy there because it was the evening. And Malfoy was seated in his usual place in the room over from the central room. There were quite a few people in that room as well playing drinking games and conversing. Malfoy had a large glass of some beverage as well; Harry was shocked considering that the blond had just recently gotten over being smashed and yet he was drinking again.

Malfoy caught sight of him and sneered per usual. "Hurry up, Potter! There's a Veela show later on that I want to see."

Glaring, Harry tried to keep his mouth shut as he trudged over to him and sat down in a chair. After Harry set the research books down, Malfoy lazily began to finish the part of the presentation that he hadn't completed last time. The blond didn't appear to recall anything that happened the previous night. Harry breathed a sigh of relief and began taking notes on the last part of his research paper. He would complete the part of the presentation he was working on the next time. In fact, he was surprised at how far they had gotten; the project was nearing completion.

Harry didn't realize how much time passed until the blond set down his quill and stood up.

"Malfoy, what are you doing?" Harry asked.

The blond sneered and just walked away. Cleaning up the supplies and shrinking them all to fit in his pocket, Harry followed him into the central room. Malfoy chose a dark blue couch that was off to the side, but close enough to see the stage.

"Malfoy!"

"Leave me alone Potter! I'm sick of seeing your face all the time! I told you I'm watching the show!"

Harry glared and opened his mouth. The lights dimmed and cheering sounded; Harry turned to see the stage lighting up. Malfoy ignored him and focused on the show, taking a sip of his drink. Harry gazed at the stage as the curtain vanished magically and Veelas dressed in tight dresses came out, posing. One of them with light violet hair and blue eyes stepped forward and music rang out. The violet-haired Veela began to sing and her melodious voice swept over the room, hypnotizing the men.

It was a beautiful but soft voice and she sang as the others danced around her. Harry was so entranced he didn't realize he sat down on the same couch as Malfoy to watch. The blond was too focused on the show to notice either. As the Veelas danced and harmonized, as spells changed their colors and gowns toward the end into fancy, flowing dresses, the cheers became louder. Harry didn't even realize just how long he sat there watching the various shows the Veelas put on.

The violet-haired Veela then moved toward the front of the stage and the others encircled her, but left a lot of room so the audience could still see her. The room became so dark that Harry couldn't make out anyone in the audience; Malfoy was still visible but he was also in darkness. The stage lit up and the violet-haired Veela began lowering the straps of her dress. Harry was so shocked that he leaned forward and almost lost his balance. He stumbled as he tried to get back up before he fell and his shoulder accidentally bumped against Malfoy's.

The blond moved but he didn't say anything. He too sat up to get a better look at the show and neither one of them realized their shoulders were now pressed together.

"Excuse me gentlemen?" a young woman asked. "Would either of you like any drinks?"

"A pitcher of Flaming Butterbeer," Malfoy said quietly, taking out several coins and handing them to her.

She smiled. "Right away."

Harry had hardly noticed her and kept his gaze on the Veela who had lowered the top of her dress so that the lacey bra was showing. Moments later, as the Veelas continued to dance around the one that was slowly stripping, the beverage came with two glasses. Malfoy poured himself a drink and took a large gulp. Harry's trance was broken slightly and he saw the empty glass.

Uncertainly, he swallowed feeling that his throat was dry. He slowly poured himself a glass and took a sip. The soft, melting taste of butterbeer filled his senses and at the same time burned a bit as it went down. Harry's eyes watered but after a few seconds he was left with a warm, content feeling. So he took another sip, and then another. Harry's glass was soon empty so he poured himself another. His eyes turned back to the performance and he saw that the Veela was now in her lacey pink bra and underwear. The dress had been discarded on the stage floor and men were whistling and howling loudly. The Veela had started singing another song—it was slow and soothing, probably sung in a minor key, and a beautiful quiet melody—as she stripped.

The Veela unclasped her bra and let it fall to the floor. Harry stared at her large breasts, but he was more fascinated with her skin; it was a smooth ivory, glistening in the light on the stage, and it reminded him of someone…

He heard heavy breathing beside him but didn't register it. Instead, he picked up his glass to take yet another sip, but because he was intoxicated more than he had ever been, the glass slipped from his fingers and spilt, falling onto Malfoy's lap. Harry quickly summoned a cloth and muttered an apology. He took the cloth and pressed it against the blond's leg to wipe up the stain without even really thinking about what he was doing. He rubbed up and down the leg to try and dry the spill and his eyes lifted a bit and stared directly at the crotch area. He noticed a slight bulge in the pants and stared.

A loud exhale from above him caused him to lift his head. Malfoy was staring down at him and his silver-blue eyes were just barely visible in the dark. The light from the stage provided only a tiny bit of light and it just barely reflected in the other boy's eyes. Harry stared up at him, his hand still on the blond's leg with the cloth. The cheering got louder but Harry didn't even turn his gaze back to the stage. His eyes were locked with Malfoy's and his brain was trying to wake up and register the reality of the situation, but he couldn't.

Without warning, Malfoy leaned down and pressed his lips to his. Harry lost balance and fell backward on the couch with the blond on top of him. The warm lips captured his fully and Harry felt his stomach tingle in excitement. Harry began to kiss back and he felt their moist lips rubbing against one another's. He felt his lips part and a warm tongue invaded his mouth. Harry released a soft groan and tentatively moved his own tongue over Malfoy's. He heard the blond release a moan and then he felt hands around his back. Fingers lifted his shirt and caressed his bare skin. Harry instantly groaned and wrapped his arms around the other boy's back, forcing his tongue into Malfoy's mouth.

Their tongues sparred for some time and he felt something hard rub against his bare stomach. Malfoy's fingers left his back and came to his chest where he began to lift his shirt up all the way to expose his well-toned abdomen and chest. Harry felt his erection grow and he groaned. Malfoy's hand trailed down to his pants and Harry felt his heart pound even harder.

"Gentlemen!" a voice exclaimed.

Harry jerked his head as their lips detached. Malfoy raised his head as well at the woman who was staring at them.

"I'm afraid we don't allow sexual activities outside of the private rooms upstairs. If you'd like to purchase a key to a room it'll be 200 sickles for the night."

Harry could barely hear her amongst the singing and cheering of the crowd; in fact his brain was so fuzzy he couldn't really function. Malfoy suddenly thrust inside his pocket and pulled out a handful of coins. The woman smiled and took it then summoned a key and handed it to him.

"Enjoy your stay," she said, walking off.

Malfoy struggled to get up off Harry and the couch. Still dazed, Harry followed suit. The blond made his way out and Harry followed, stumbling part of the way. It was more difficult to go up the stairs, and he hardly registered when they had reached the room. Malfoy unlocked the door and Harry stumbled inside. The door shut and locked behind them and Harry noticed it was dimly lit in the room.

Instantly, Harry felt hands on him and he was dragged further into the room. Warm lips pushed roughly against his and Harry stumbled. He instinctively wrapped his arms around the other boy so he wouldn't fall. Seconds later, his legs hit the back of something hard and he tumbled over. He fell on something large and soft and craning his neck he saw it was a bed. Malfoy clumsily got up on the bed and perched on his knees. Then he lifted his shift up and took it off. In the dim light, Harry could make out the blond's flushed face and his eyes seemed to be glazed over.

The two were breathing heavily. The one large bed they were on had silk sheets on it. A couple of potions labeled anti-pregnancy sat on the small bureau next to the bed. Harry was feeling too hot so he sat up and pulled his shirt up over his head. When his shirt fell to the floor, Harry saw that Malfoy was staring at him. The blond's eyes gazed up and down his body. Instantly, Malfoy hurried to unbuckle his silky-black pants and pulled them down. Harry watched mesmerized as the pants came down, revealing the tight blue boxers. His eyes stared at the large bulge in the boxers and he felt his skin prickle as his stomach churned with a mixture of anxiety and excitement.

Then the blond took out his wand and kept it in his hand and he suddenly leaned over him. Harry had remained in the same position and was startled as the blond suddenly pushed him down onto the bed. He felt the other boy's warm body on top of his right before he felt a pair of lips on his again. The kissing intensified and Harry closed his eyes, feeling his arousal increase.

Fingers were on his pants and he felt his pants being tugged down. Harry released a groan, breathing deeply as his pants came off. Their tongues intertwined again and he felt his erection trapped against the other boy's stomach. Malfoy was panting and he grasped Harry's boxers pulling them down with ease. Harry's gasped quietly, his eyes opening slightly as he felt the air hit his naked body. His eyes opened all the way and he saw Malfoy's boxers fall off his hips.

Staring at the large erection, Harry saw the tip of the penis was swollen and slightly pink. Harry's own arousal was erect and he noticed his was beginning to drip pre-cum. Harry's heart was pounding even though his brain couldn't quite tell him exactly what was happening; subconsciously his body knew and was reacting on instinct.

All Harry knew was that he was hard and excited and that staring at the smooth ivory skin and muscular abdomen leaning above him was arousing him. He reached out a hand to brush across it, ghosting over a nipple. The blond groaned loudly, his head tilting back as his blond hair fell away from his face. Harry marveled at the beauty of his skin and the shape of his face with smooth, elegant cheekbones.

The blond lay down upon him and Harry groaned loudly, arching his hips as their naked bodies touched. Harry felt the other boy grab his right leg and lift it up, spreading it to the side. Malfoy lifted up and Harry, entranced by his arousal, scarcely noticed the wand that was being lowered toward his body. Something cold and wet filled his entrance and Harry's body jerked upward out of reaction; his eyes snapped open at the strange sensation and although he could still feel the slick wetness inside of him, the cold feeling vanished seconds later.

He felt the warm body lay atop him again and suddenly his eyes widened as something warm and large pushed against the ring of muscle at his entrance. Harry's jaw instantly clenched and his hands roughly grabbed at Malfoy's arms. He squeezed the blond's biceps as he felt pain and discomfort; his spine tingled at the intrusion. Malfoy groaned loudly, pushing deep inside of him and Harry winced, arching up at the uncomfortable feeling. The blond pulled out and thrust back in and Harry felt his legs tense. There was pain and at first all he could do was wince and tense up but when the pain began to fade, Harry's muscles relaxed.

He was aware of the warm body moving atop his. He could hear the constant groaning from the blond above him and he felt the erection moving inside of him. There was a strange tingling sensation inside and as the rhythm began to pick up Harry felt an enormous wave of ecstasy come over him. He groaned loudly, shutting his eyes as the pleasure overrode all his senses. He could feel the other boy's muscular abdomen rubbing against his and brushing across his erection as he thrust in and out.

The sound of their panting and breathless moans filled the room and Harry's body arched up now and again when a particular spot caused pleasure to tingle up his spine and through his body. Harry was breathing heavily, his body covered with perspiration as he felt the blond's hand grip the back of his thigh painfully tight.

Moments later, Harry felt his erection twitch, his stomach squirming with pleasure, and released semen. His orgasm got between them, but neither of them noticed. Malfoy thrust into him with more determination, groaning loudly and breathing heavily against his neck. Suddenly, the blond's back arched and he released a loud moan just before Harry felt something hot and wet fill his passage.

Both of them released soft groans as the blond stopped moving and fell lax on top of him. Harry's heart was still pounding and he was breathing heavily. Their bodies were covered with sweat and some semen. Harry's eyes were closed as he tried to catch his breath. The other boy suddenly lifted up a bit and pulled out of him and collapsed onto the bed. Harry wasn't sure how long he lay there or why he was so sore until something soft roughly smacked across his face.

Harry jerked up, opening his bleary eyes. Something hit him in the side of the face again and he lost balance and fell off the bed. When he landed on the floor, Harry realized he was naked. Panicking, he scrambled to his feet and grabbed the closest thing, which happened to the bed sheet; he placed it in front of his crotch, realizing also that he was sticky.

"POTTER!"

Harry's heart almost stopped in his chest when he saw Malfoy standing on the other side of the bed, seething.

"What…what happened?" Harry blurted out, looking around.

"My worst nightmare, that's what!" Malfoy shouted, bending down to pick something off the floor.

It was then Harry noticed Malfoy was naked as well. Harry choked on his spit as he tried to swallow, his eyes becoming wide with shock.

"Oh Merlin…we didn't…"

"What do you think, Potter?" Malfoy hissed angrily, slipping his clothes on. "Now I have to go and take five showers just so I feel sanitary!"

Harry felt anger boil in his stomach. "This isn't my fault!"

"The hell it isn't!" Malfoy exclaimed, wheeling around.

"You're the one who wanted to get drunk and watch the show!" Harry shouted back.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "If you hadn't stupidly made me agree to help you with your project we wouldn't be in this situation!"

Harry opened his mouth, trying to find something to say. That was true as well.

"If you even think about telling anyone Potter I swear to Merlin I'll make your life so miserable you'd wish you were dead!" Malfoy snarled, pointing his wand at him.

"Like hell I would want anyone to find out! You think I wanted this?"

"I don't know Potter! After what you did at the Pond—"

"It takes _two_ people to have sex Malfoy!" Harry bellowed. "Don't you dare try to pin this on me again!"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed and he glared angrily. "I'm not going to risk ruining my reputation for the rest of my life! I want a magical vow that this will never be told to anyone!"

Harry felt his hands clench the sheet that was covering his private area. "Fine!"

Malfoy lowered his wand to his hand, murmuring the spell. Harry turned and searched around for his wand. He saw his pants and swallowed thickly, feeling blood rush to his face from embarrassment. He then walked over and bent down slowly so the sheet wouldn't reveal anything. He grabbed his wand out of his pocket and then stood back up. He murmured the spell as well and Malfoy walked over to him with narrowed eyes.

"Do you swear that what happened between us tonight will never be told to anyone?" Malfoy spat, jerking out his hand.

Harry glanced down at it and clenched his jaw. "Yes," he said coolly, reaching out to grasp Malfoy's hand tightly.

The blond shook his hand roughly and then released it, wheeling around toward the door. He then opened the door and slammed it shut behind him. Harry stared at the door for several minutes, still in shock at what had occurred. It felt so surreal…like it was one of his wet dreams, only he knew it wasn't. He couldn't believe that he had had sex with Malfoy! Bending down, Harry winced with pain and collected his clothes. Waving his wand, he saw that it was almost two in the morning. He had to get back to school.

He left after getting dressed and although it hurt to ride a broom he flew back to the school. He was grateful that he got inside without any problems and then hurried to his room. Once he got there he slowly changed into his pajamas after using a cleansing spell over his whole body. He stood in the dark room, breathing deeply. He couldn't believe that it had really happened. Shaking his head, Harry cursed his luck and went over to his bed. He felt something on top of it and realized it was a letter. Since he wasn't at dinner the letter had been sent to his room. He just hoped the teachers didn't realize he was out past curfew. Opening the letter, Harry used his wand for light and read it:

_Harry,_

_I'm sorry it took me a few days to reply to your letter. I've researched your question and I did find something. There is a way to increase your Legilmency ability but it's not always successful. It'll only work if your Legilmency is strong enough to begin with. However, if you want to you'll have to buy a specific potion. I'm not entirely sure where to get it—perhaps some antique wizard shop. It's a very difficult potion to make in the first place, but also because it's only successful for people who have the ability to become a strong Legimen, it's not really made anymore. You might be able to find it though. The potion is called _Legilserum_. I hope that helps. Ron and I are looking forward to seeing you when you come back for N.E.W.T.s. Until then!_

_Your friend,_

_Hermione_

Harry felt his stomach flip. There was a chance for him to become a stronger Legimen. And this way he would hopefully be able to read a little bit of Malfoy's mind. He had to know what the blond was thinking about everything; he wanted to know if Malfoy was hiding anything else as well. He knew it was wrong and if Hermione knew what purpose he was using it for she would scold him good.

But he had to know more about Malfoy and the only way to do so was to get into his mind; even if he couldn't read thoughts, like Voldemort or Dumbledore, just having a stronger sense of what was going on with the blond would make him feel better. Now, he just had to find that potion.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

**Author's Note**_**There will be more graphic sex to come, please be warned. **_

To Reviewers: 

**Fantasizeaway33: **Hehe! Yep, hope you enjoyed the lemon. There will be more to come once the romance begins to heat up. Thanks!

**Maegwin: **Yeah, Malfoy is a prick! He will eventually warm up, I'm sure you know that by how Captivation went. Hehe! It's just going to take a little more time, but don't worry the romance will be blooming shortly. Thanks!

**Hkph: **I'm glad you liked it! Yeah, I know Draco's so frustrating right now. But it's going to take him a little more time to open up. I'm afraid I'm not going to do anything in Draco's POV; the mystery surrounding him makes him more attractive. And I like Harry to figure him out in his own mind with what occurs between them. However, now that Harry's discovered this potion you'll get a little bit of insight into Draco—at least enough. Thanks!

**Snowfalcon: **I'm glad you like the action between them! I know what you mean about going slowly so that when the romance does come it's that much more exciting. That's why I try not to rush any of my stories. I know it gets frustrating at times, but Draco will soon be opening up. The romance is coming up shortly now. At least you got a lemon to tide you over, hehe! Don't worry, you'll find out about Draco's wish; I'd estimate probably not for another couple of chapters, but you'll know. I'll update asap! Thanks!


	13. Fate Intervenes

**Pure Rhapsody**

**FUTURE WARNING:**_** Next chapter has sexual content!**_

**Chapter 12: Fate Intervenes **

Harry had to wait until the weekend to look for the potion. During his meeting with Malfoy at the inn over the past several days, the blond hardly acknowledged him; Malfoy took the supplies he needed and worked in a separate chair, ignoring him. It only made Harry more determined to get past his defenses.

When Friday night came, Harry took off to downtown Napier not too far from the school. It was somewhat similar to Hogsmeade only smaller. Harry didn't know his way around so he stopped in a small robe shop to ask about any antique stores. The man listed a few and gave him brief directions. Harry went to each one in search of the potion and only an hour later did he find any hope of getting it.

"I'm afraid the batch is low these days," the witch said, flipping her frizzy grey hair out of her face. "Let me check in back to make sure we still have it."

Harry nodded as she disappeared behind the curtain. He began browsing the items in the store from dragon bones to old photographs and books. Harry stopped in an isle and approached a shelf. There was a flashing sign that read: _Limited—Rare Unicorn Jewelry_. Harry looked at the pendants and charm bracelets, but one thing caught his eye. It was a green earring in the shape of a small hoop and was apparently made form a unicorn's horn and then was dipped in a potion to change it green. That was probably the case for all the colored unicorn jewelry.

"Those just came in last week," the witch said, causing Harry to stand up quickly. "It takes a while for unicorn supplies to come in because we always make sure unicorns aren't going extinct. We let them repopulate for a while and then we capture a few. Anyway," she smiled, "we have one vial left—it's an old one because it's been in there collecting dust and I didn't want to throw it out since it's so rare. Because it's the only one, I was going to double its original cost, but since no one seems to be buying them nowadays I've decided not to."

"Oh, er, thank you," Harry said.

"Of course. Is there anything else?" she smiled, glancing down at the earring he was just examining. "That earring would suit you nice."

"Er, so I'd…have to get my ear pierced, right?" Harry asked, feeling a bit foolish for asking.

The witch laughed and nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid it doesn't work any other way. Actually, if you'd like there's an exceptionally rare earring of a similar color. It's three times the price, but it's worth it!"

The witch bustled over to behind the counter and waved her wand. A secret compartment in the wall opened and she took out a velvet box. Harry approached the counter and watched intently as she opened the box for him. A luminous earring shimmered and Harry had to squint at first as it reflected the light off the ceiling. It was a deeper emerald, which matched his eye-color better, and up close it looked as though it were pieced together with small slivers of green crystals.

"This is an exceptionally rare piece," she smiled. "We just got it in last night and we haven't advertised it yet, so you're in luck! It's made from the eggshells of an Occamy."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "What's that?"

"Oh, it's a beautiful and rare creature!" she exclaimed. "They're still around today and some people think they're close to extinction, but I think these creatures are just smart enough to hide from all humans. The Occamy is a large silver-colored winged snake—it can reach up to fifteen feet in length! And their eggshells are made of pure silver, except that the silver is magically soft so it's easy to mold. However, it's extremely dangerous and tricky to get past the female Occamy and get to her eggs.

"The Occamy mate three times a year and produce a batch of a dozen eggs, which is another reason why I'm sure they're no where near extinction. But, like any mother, the Occamy will become enraged when she feels her eggs are threatened. And there's also a legend surrounding this creature," she said, leaning forward. "It's said that when an Occamy feels her eggs are threatened she can release a power that not only blinds the attacker but causes it pain. That's another reason why it's considered dangerous. Surprisingly, out of the number of people who have tried to get these eggs over time, the Occamy has only said to snap and chase people.

"But someone, somewhere wrote a legend about this creature, so I'm not sure if it really can produce this light or not. But either way, this item is rare. And we coated the silver of the eggs with a layer of melted emeralds. People also say any Occamy item can bring good luck!"

Harry stared at it uncertain if he should buy it. He decided since he didn't buy himself things often that perhaps he should splurge just this once.

"Alright. I'll get that too."

"Excellent! Please have a seat here," she smiled, summoning a chair.

Harry hesitantly sat down in the chair and she came in front of him. "Now, which ear would you like it in?"

"Er, left," Harry said.

She nodded and with a smile she pointed her wand at the earring, levitating it out of its box. Then she pointed it toward his left ear. With a wave of her wand, Harry felt something attach to his ear and he reached up to feel the earring in place.

"All done!" she said, summoning a mirror for him to see.

Harry stared at the emerald stud in his ear, marveling at how nice it looked. She then gestured for him to approach the counter and he paid her for both the earring and the potion. When he left the store, he played with the earring and wondered what Hermione and Ron's reaction would be.

He drank only half the potion ten minutes before he was supposed to meet Malfoy at the inn. Then he flew there dressed in jeans and a new white shirt that was loose, exposing a part of his collar bone. He was nervous because he wasn't sure how the potion would work, if at all. Most of all, he was afraid what he might find out.

Malfoy was lazily twirling his wand, waiting for him in the usual spot. The blond turned and spotted him, giving him a quick glance but then he ignored him. Harry carefully set the supplies on the table and began to work. Malfoy picked up a piece of parchment and continued his notes from before. Harry's report was almost completed so they didn't have that much left to do.

"What's that Potter?"

Harry turned abruptly, surprised that the blond spoke at all. He saw the smirk on the other boy's face.

"Is that an earring Potter?"

Harry pushed some of the hair from the side of his face away and shrugged. "Yeah. So what?"

Malfoy snorted. _**I bet he thinks he looks so good in it. **_

Harry jerked his head and saw that Malfoy had turned back to the book. It seemed that the blond hadn't said it aloud because he used 'he' and not 'you', which meant…could he really be hearing Malfoy's thoughts? Harry felt his stomach squirm with anticipation.

"Erm," Harry began slowly, causing the blond to glance up carelessly. "What did you wish for?"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "It's none of your business."

_**Don't think I can't see through you Potter. You want to know my wish to find a way to counter it. **_

"That's not true!" Harry blurted out.

The blond whirled his gaze onto him and Harry felt his heart skip a beat. "I…it is my business," Harry said. "Look, how many times do I have to tell you that I risked my life for it?"

"Please Potter," Malfoy sneered. _**I'll bet you knew what would happen all along.**_

Harry's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What the hell did he mean by that?

_**Just because he's the world's Golden Boy doesn't mean he's perfect. I'll bet he didn't even really risk his life. Of course if it were for the Weasel or Granger he'd probably stupidly jump in front of a fire-breathing dragon. **_

Harry looked away, finding that it was too difficult to concentrate when Malfoy's thoughts were coming in strongly. He wondered how long the potion would last, especially considering he only drank half. However…there was something specific Harry wanted to know. He wanted to know Malfoy's reaction to them having sex and what he thought about it. But how would he trigger a thought response without bringing the subject up and embarrassing himself? Unfortunately, Harry could only think of one way to do it.

He cleared his throat nervously. Malfoy didn't even glance up.

"What Potter?" he drawled coolly.

"Erm…do you…I mean, you don't have any…," Harry trailed off, feeling his face heat up. This was more difficult to ask than he thought.

Malfoy just gazed at him coolly and then went back to ignoring him. Harry swallowed nervously.

"You don't have any…erm, sexual diseases do you?"

That got Malfoy's attention. The blond lowered the paper and turned an intense gaze on him.

"Potter! Don't ever bring that up!" Malfoy hissed.

"But I want to make sure you're clean so I don't catch anything!" Harry shot back quietly.

Malfoy stared at him and slowly he sneered. "So I was right then. You're a virgin."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "It doesn't have to do with that. I don't trust you and I don't know how many other people you've slept with. You might have a nasty disease or something."

"Please Potter! The only one who'd have anything is you, knowing the type of women you'd choose!" Malfoy snapped heatedly.

Harry stared at him, concentrating hard so that he could see if there was anything else.

_**Trust Potter to not know a damn thing about the wizard world. I guess he doesn't realize being magical is an automatic protection from other people's illnesses. I wonder if the Weasel would die of a heart attack if he ever found out. And Potter claims he's not a virgin, but if he didn't sleep with Weasel's sister then who could he have slept with?**_

Harry felt his cheeks heat up as Malfoy pondered his sex-life. He couldn't believe the blond was even thinking about that; why would he care who he slept with? The truth was that at Hogwarts he had never had time to sleep with anyone. He didn't believe in a one-night-shag and Ginny had been his first real relationship. And they only had made-out. Truthfully, Harry thought that if he had stayed with Cho longer she probably would've hinted at sleeping with him, just because he knew she was more attracted to his fame and to claim she slept with Harry Potter would've made her day. He was thankful it didn't work out with her. He wondered how many people Malfoy had slept with.

Harry sighed and leaned back against the chair. He had never told Ginny, Hermione or Ron, but he wasn't a virgin, exactly. Of course sleeping with Malfoy was a different story since Harry had never been with a bloke, but he had technically been sexually intimate with a girl before; however, he didn't have sexual intercourse with her. It was during the time when he had recently broken up with Ginny, a couple weeks after Dumbledore's funeral, and he bumped into a strange but pretty girl on his search for Voldemort's Horcruxes….

Malfoy still hadn't said what he wanted to know. And he wanted to ask the blond more questions, but he didn't want to look too suspicious.

_**I'll bet Potter's not as experienced as he tries to seem. Even being famous with girls hanging all over him doesn't mean that he's had loads of sex. I bet I've had more than him. And knowing Potter, being such a Gryffindor, he probably has never just shagged a girl for fun. Unless…perhaps Potter's gay. **_

Harry felt his back tense as he heard that. He made sure not to look over at Malfoy. He didn't know why it shocked him to hear that; he was quite sure he wasn't gay, although the wet dreams of Malfoy certainly had him confused. He thought about it for a couple minutes; considering that the blond was right in that he didn't have very much experience, there was a possibility he was gay. After all, he had only ever been with Cho and Ginny except for the one other girl that he been with briefly.

Harry's thoughts stopped trailing and he shook his head. He couldn't go down memory lane. He had to focus on Malfoy. Turning slightly, Harry stared at Malfoy out of the corner of his eye. The blond was jotting down notes and was apparently oblivious to his random thoughts that Harry could hear. After a few minutes of silence, Harry decided that he wasn't going to get anything from the blond if he didn't say anything.

"Malfoy, why the hell do you keep denying that I saved your life?" Harry blurted out.

The blond jerked his head up and glared coldly. "How the hell do I know you didn't steal all the Veritaserum vials to set me up?"

"_What_? I didn't do that! I snuck in there to give you that Scale!" Harry exclaimed.

"Oh really?" he drawled. "And how did you know where I was if you weren't working with the Ministry?"

"Because if I was they obviously wouldn't let me in to give you the Scale," Harry shot back. "I used my Invisibility Cloak to look for the door. And I overheard Mr. Diggory talking about you…," Harry trailed off suddenly as his mind froze; he remembered something that he overheard.

Malfoy noticed his abrupt silence. "What Potter? You can't find the right excuse to make?"

"No! It's that…when I overhead Mr. Diggory talking about you, he said that Kingsley found a piece of blond hair on Moody's body and that's another reason why they thought it was you."

The blond's expression darkened. "What's your point?" he spat.

"What if…," Harry's eyes widened. "What if your dad's not really dead?"

Harry felt a wave of emotion come from Malfoy, even though he couldn't read any direct thoughts. The emotions were all mixed together that Harry couldn't decipher specific feelings.

"Potter! Don't you dare—"

"I'm not trying to pick a fight," Harry interrupted quickly as Malfoy seethed. "Look, your dad's been able to get out of sticky situations loads of times."

"And just how would he pretend to _die_?" Malfoy drawled nastily.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "Maybe…polyjuice potion. If he changed his appearance and made someone else look like him then that person would have died in his place."

"There's no way he could've escaped Azkaban Potter, or had a potion!" Malfoy snarled, clenching his fists. "The Ministry checks all the prisoners to make sure they don't have anything!"

"Right, but what if Voldemort helped," Harry said, glancing at the blond; Malfoy's eyes had widened slightly. "When Voldemort confronted me in the Ministry, he was disguised as the Minister," Harry explained, as Malfoy stared intensely. "So, as the Minister he could've freed some of his servants."

There was a range of emotion emitting from the blond and Harry realized the reality of that possibility. If Lucius Malfoy was still alive then there was no doubt that he had stolen the vials of Veritaserum, for whatever reason. And he was most likely up to no good.

_**Potter's just testing me! He thinks I'll cry like a baby because my parents died! Well, I don't care that they're dead!**_

Harry was shocked when the blond's thoughts came through. He didn't care that his parents were dead…what did that mean?

"Wait…," Harry said suddenly. "If they had found a piece of blond hair then they could discern who it belonged to. That means that they must not have found out who it belonged to, because they weren't sure you were behind it. And that doesn't make sense…if it was your dad then they would've been able to figure that out. Something's off…," Harry said, shaking his head.

"Whatever, Potter! Just shut-up!" Malfoy snapped, standing up.

Harry didn't even question him as he whirled around and walked away. He knew he had upset him. Then again, if Malfoy didn't care about his parents then what was he upset about? Even after reading some of the blond's thoughts, Malfoy was still confusing. He still had some more of the potion left, which meant he could try it again and hopefully get something more from him. He decided since it was around eight in the evening anyway that he'd go back and get some dinner before going to bed.

The next day Harry took the rest of the potion before meeting Malfoy at the inn at one, which was their usual routine on the weekends. Malfoy was always there before him, but this time as Harry approached the blond stood up and stared coolly at him.

"I want to make something clear, Potter. No more talking about my parents, got it?"

"Fine," Harry said, sitting down.

Malfoy sat back down and grabbed a book roughly.

_**Good. The last thing I need is for Potter to find out what happened that night. **_

Harry's back arched and he felt his heart beat faster in his chest. There was something that Malfoy was keeping a secret—something about his parents. Now Harry was really curious.

"Malfoy," Harry said, turning to him. "Since you always act like you're so much better than me, and you tell me I have poor choices in women, who have you dated that's so special?"

_**Wouldn't you like to know.**_

Malfoy smirked. "Girls that wouldn't be interested in you, Potter. You're too goody-goody."

"What the hell does that mean?" Harry glared.

"It means that you don't know how to have fun," the blond said, smirking widely.

"You're just bluffing," Harry retorted. "I'll bet you're not as experienced as you let on."

"Actually, Potter, I am," Malfoy drawled. "In fact, the last girl I dated was two years older than me and she said I was the best shag she'd ever had."

"So you only shag then? You don't actually have a relationship?" Harry countered, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"What I do is my business. And what about you, Potter? Do you only shag blokes?"

"I'm not gay," Harry said, narrowing his eyes. "What about you?"

"If you're asking if you're the first bloke I've shagged then yes, Potter! I'll be traumatized for the rest of my life!"

Harry felt his stomach churn in response, but he tried to ignore it.

"But I've been hit on by blokes before," Malfoy said, leaning back. "It's not just women I have an effect on."

_**Blaise was an exceptionally annoying one. I still regret letting him suck me off, considering he didn't know what he was doing. Even Potter was loads better than he was.**_

Harry's face flooded with heat and he had to look away so Malfoy wouldn't notice. Swallowing nervously, Harry tried to distract himself by reading. Unfortunately, he didn't get anymore readings off the blond except some annoyed feelings and even confusion. Otherwise, he didn't get anything else and it soon came time to stop. It was only four—they had been working for three hours, but Malfoy just pushed his stuff toward Harry and walked away. Slowly, Harry picked it up and decided it was probably enough for one day. Three hours was a long time.

He flew back to his room and saw an envelope sitting on his bed. Picking it up, Harry opened it and pulled out a letter. It read:

_Hello Potter,_

_It's been a while. I suppose you're wondering who this is. But I'm not going to reveal anything. Just know that I'm going to have my revenge. And this time you're not going to survive. _

Harry's heart pounded in his chest and he shoved the letter back in the envelope. For several minutes he paced, wondering what to do. Finally, he grabbed the letter and flew back toward the inn. Just as he suspected, Malfoy was still there drinking and watching some band perform. Harry approached him quickly and the blond turned.

"What the hell do you want Potter? I'm done for tonight."

"If your father's not alive then what's this?" Harry asked, shoving the envelope at him.

Malfoy glared at him. "I told you not to talk about my parents!"

"I just found that in my room. Read it!" Harry snapped.

The blond's eyes stayed locked into his for a long minute before he finally pulled out the letter and opened it. As he read it, Harry felt that the blond was perplexed and also somewhat wary, but Harry couldn't get any deeper thoughts.

"Well?"

Malfoy put the letter down and crossed his arms. "What does this have to do with me?"

"You're telling me that after the possibility of your dad still being alive, you don't think he wrote that?" Harry exclaimed, gesturing to the letter.

"He's dead Potter!" Malfoy snarled. "Unless there's actual evidence that he's still alive I'm not going to believe a word you say!"

"I told you! Kingsley said he found a piece of blond hair!"

"Loads of people have blond hair, Potter!" Malfoy snapped. "For all we know it could've been that crazy Lovegood girl!"

Harry realized Malfoy had a point. It could've been anyone, but the person obviously had a grudge against him. Lucius Malfoy was the only blond, besides Malfoy, that he knew had a grudge against him. He did admit that lots of pieces weren't fitting, but it was all he could think of.

"So here! Take your bloody letter!" Malfoy said, grabbing the envelope and tossing it toward him.

The letter flipped upside down and something fell out of it, landing on the floor. It was an old rusted coin. Malfoy stared down at it and then bent down to pick it up. The hairs on the back of Harry's neck rose and he jumped forward.

"Don't touch it!"

The second Malfoy's fingers touched it, Harry's fingers grabbed onto his arm. Instantly, he felt the familiar sensation of a portkey behind his nasal. A moment later he and Malfoy dropped to the ground. Groaning, Harry slowly sat up looking around. The sun hadn't quite set, which meant if they were still in New Zealand they weren't far. Waving his wand he saw that it was still only 8:30 and it wouldn't get dark till after nine. They were by a large lake and there were tall and rocky mountains in the distance. Lots of trees surrounded the lake and they were lying in the dirt just feet away from a large oak tree.

"Where the hell are we Potter?"

"How should I know?" Harry shouted back.

"Where's that bloody coin?" Malfoy snapped, searching around. It was lying in the dirt but when Malfoy went to pick it up nothing happened. "Damn it!"

"Whoever sent me the letter obviously didn't intend for me to return," Harry said darkly, glancing around.

"And why is it that I'm always dragged into _your_ problems?" Malfoy drawled coldly.

Harry glared, but instead of retorting concentrated hard on the blond as the other boy muttered curses and walked a couple steps away.

"You don't have to worry," Harry quipped coolly. "If it's your father he won't do anything to you."

Malfoy wheeled around. "It's _not_ my father Potter! The handwriting's not even his!"

"He could've used a magical quill," Harry argued.

"Shut the bloody hell up!" Malfoy snarled, stomping away.

"Where are you going?" Harry shouted after him, hurrying to catch up.

Malfoy glared over his shoulder. "Obviously to get away from you!"

A loud screech filled the air and Malfoy stopped suddenly. Harry halted too and the both of them looked around for the source of the noise.

"That doesn't sound good," Harry said. "We should find shelter."

"I'm not bloody staying here Potter!"

"There's no way to get back, Malfoy! We don't have a portkey and we don't even know where we are! We could be in a different country!"

Malfoy clenched his fists. "First getting stranded after the train wreck and now this!"

"Look, let's find shelter first okay?" Harry suggested firmly.

"You can find your own shelter."

"Fine!" Harry exclaimed, walking in the opposite direction.

He was so furious he just didn't care anymore. He looked around until he got to the edge of the lake. He couldn't swim across for fear of drowning, so he turned to head back when he spotted something. He had to weave his way through trees but right near the edge of the lake further down was a small rocky cliff with what appeared to be a mouth of a cave at the top. Harry used his wand and levitated himself all the up until he reached the cave mouth. It was small and not very deep, but it was good enough.

Harry had the urge to just remain there and not worry about Malfoy, but his conscience was too strong. He levitated back down and went back to where he and Malfoy split up. At first the blond was no where in sight, but past some trees Harry saw him trudging along. Harry began approaching him and waited until the blond was only a few feet away.

"Malfoy!" Harry shouted, causing the blond to gaze over at him. "I found a cave!"

"That's great Potter," Malfoy drawled.

Harry bit his lip and stared at him angrily. "Would you stop being stubborn? It looks to me like you haven't found anything yet."

"I'm not sharing anything with you Potter! I don't even want to be near you! So just leave me alone!"

Malfoy stalked off in another direction and Harry angrily headed back toward the cave. He kicked several branches on the way there, feeling angrier than ever. Before he reached the cave, he heard the screech again. Harry halted and listened, keeping a firm grip on his wand. He wasn't sure what it was, but it sounded big. If it was a carnivorous creature then they were in big trouble. And if Malfoy didn't find shelter he'd be a sitting duck.

Harry struggled internally, not sure what he should do. There was a chance the creature wouldn't want them for a snack, but then there was the possibility that it would. If he left Malfoy out there and he got eaten or something, Harry would feel guilty and he didn't want to carry that guilt for the rest of his life. He had least had to try even if the arrogant Slytherin was being rude and stubborn.

Turning around, he headed back in the direction that he saw Malfoy go. He couldn't see him anywhere and he wondered if perhaps he had found shelter. A loud screech filled the air and Harry jumped, pointing his wand straight ahead. It sounded like it was a short distance in front of him. Suddenly, an explosion caught his attention. It was in the direction of the tall rocky mountains and Harry ran. He was quite sure that explosion had come from Malfoy.

He ran as fast as he could in the direction where he saw the explosion. Another screech sounded and Harry stopped suddenly when something tore to the sky. It was the largest dragon he had ever seen. He was sure it was larger than a Hungarian Horntail. That wasn't the worst of it, however. It was flying fairly low for a dragon and that's when Harry saw it—a blur running as fast as possible toward him. It was Malfoy. The dragon had its eye on him and suddenly released a jet of flame.

Malfoy dodged the flame and pointed his wand at it hurriedly, almost tripping backward as he ran, and shot something at it, causing the dragon to roar loudly and fly back up to the sky. The blond continued to run but unexpectedly the dragon dove down with its talons out.

"MALFOY LOOK OUT!" Harry bellowed.

The blond whipped his head around and let out a yell as he saw the dragon coming toward him. He dove as the dragon's talons seemed to brush up against him, getting caught on his shirt. Malfoy was lifted a foot off the ground and struggled hard; seconds later his shirt ripped and he fell back to the ground. Harry noticed that Malfoy moved but he seemed to have trouble getting up.

Instantly, Harry's adrenaline kicked in and he jumped up on a rock. He shot colorful sparks into the air and the dragon stopped circling in the sky above Malfoy. It focused its attention on the sparks and as it came closer, Harry ducked down behind the rock and shot sparks across the sky. The dragon roared, releasing fire again at it, and chased after them.

As the dragon flew off, Harry ran in the direction where Malfoy was. He was out of breath before he finally reached the blond. His eyes caught sight of a small red spot which soaked through the tear in his blue shirt. The blond moved and groaned. Harry hurriedly bent down toward him.

"Malfoy! Can you get up?" Harry asked quickly.

Malfoy turned his head and slowly began to stand. Harry noticed that the blond's jeans were dirty, but he didn't appear to have any other wounds than the small cut on his arm.

"Let's go to the cave. We should be safer there," Harry said.

Malfoy stood up and brushed himself off. The two of them then hurried toward the cave. Harry was thankful that the dragon didn't appear. They made it and levitated up to the mouth of the cave. Malfoy sat down at one side of the cave. The mouth was barely seven feet wide and probably only ten feet deep, although the cave became narrower toward the back. Harry picked up a lone rock, after clearing a spot to make it smooth, and transfigured it into a sleeping bag. He looked over his shoulder and saw Malfoy doing the same thing. Then the blond lay down onto the thin material.

Harry concentrated and felt that Malfoy was confused and agitated. He hadn't been able to get any direct thoughts lately; it only came every now and again, but he wondered what Malfoy was confused about. Sighing, Harry closed his eyes, hoping that with just a little rest he could think of a way to get out of there. Some time later he opened his eyes and realized the sun was just barely coming up over the horizon. He stretched and glanced over where Malfoy was still sleeping. In the dim light of the dawn sun, Malfoy's features looked peaceful. Harry couldn't believe that by looking at his smooth ivory skin and fair blond hair he could actually be such a prick. Maybe it was his personality, or perhaps it was only a façade.

The hairs on the back of his neck prickled and Harry jerked his head around to gaze out of the cave. The sky was blue and peaceful, but there was a strange smell in the air; he couldn't find words for it. The odor was almost a combination of something rotten and charcoal. It unnerved him. Cautiously, Harry approached the edge of the cave and peered out. The air was still, but his neck was still prickling. Just to be safe, Harry went over to where Malfoy was sleeping and bent down. Touching the blond's shoulder uncertainly, Harry shook him roughly.

The other boy's eyes snapped open and the blond whirled his head around. "What the hell are you doing, Potter?"

"I have a bad feeling," Harry said.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "You woke me up at the crack of dawn over a _feeling_? Look Potter, despite your paranoia I need sleep."

"That dragon might be around out there," Harry said firmly, getting agitated.

Malfoy unexpectedly put a hand on Harry's chest and pushed him backward, causing him to stumble.

"Stop being paranoid, Potter! The dragon's long gone!"

Harry angrily stood up. "Don't pretend like you're not worried! You were scared stiff the other day!"

Malfoy pushed his sleeping bag out of the way as he stood up, glaring at him. "I wasn't scared, Potter! I was trying to get some distance between me and the dragon so I could get a clearer shot of it!"

"It almost snatched you up after you fell! And I'm the one who scared it off!"

Harry got a wave of emotion from the blond that felt strangely like jealousy. "You're always trying to play the hero, aren't you? Well I was taking care of the dragon fine without your help! You just always assume that everyone needs your help! That no body can do anything without you!"

"That's not true!" Harry exclaimed loudly. "I was just trying to help you and you turn it around and make it look like I'm trying to impress somebody! Who the hell is there to impress here?" he gestured with his arms.

Harry was becoming increasingly frustrated and a part of it was due to hunger. He suspected Malfoy was probably hungry and irritable as well.

"I don't know Potter," Malfoy drawled coldly. "Maybe you're just using heroics to make up for other things."

The second the blond glanced down at his crotch, he felt his anger boil and at the same time he sensed something else. It seemed to be coming from Malfoy and it felt like satisfaction. Malfoy was degrading his manhood knowing it would piss him off. And the question Harry wanted answered was whether Malfoy was only saying that to piss him off or if he really believed it.

Harry opened his mouth to retort but the second he did so the hairs on his neck rose. In that split second, Harry felt a large force throw his body to the right. Malfoy let out a shout of surprise and terror. A loud roar echoed throughout the cave, sending shivers down his back. Harry rolled on the ground, scraping his arms. Thankfully, he stopped rolling right before he was about to collide into the cave wall. Scrambling to his feet, Harry reached into his pocket for his wand only to find it gone.

Harry's eyes widened in terror when he saw the huge, grey-colored dragon—the one that had attacked the day before—hovering in front of the cave. Malfoy was shooting curses at it, trying to back away but the cave wasn't very deep. The wing of the dragon must've hit Harry and thrown him off his feet when the creature flapped up to the entrance. It had most likely heard their argument and that was why Harry was feeling unnerved.

He could feel the fear coming off of Malfoy and Harry looked around for his wand. There it was on the floor of the cave off to the side. If he ran for it, the dragon could easily swipe at him before he reached it. The beast was snapping and growling at Malfoy, trying to stick its large neck all the way in to reach him. Its wings were beating hard outside of the cave, occasionally hitting the outside rock. The dragon suddenly lashed its front talons out and grabbed hold of Malfoy's wand arm. The blond cried out in surprise and pain and Harry reacted instantly as his adrenaline kicked in.

The dragon swooped backward to drag Malfoy out of the cave by his arm, but Harry dove forward and grabbed the blond around his waist. Harry wasn't as strong as the dragon so he used his feet and propped them against a stone sticking out of the cave floor. Malfoy hissed in pain, squeezing his eyes shut as the dragon's talons scraped across his arm, digging into it. Harry knew if he didn't do something he would either lose his grip on Malfoy or the dragon would rip a large chunk of skin off his arm.

"Malfoy," Harry said breathlessly, trying to keep a strong grip on him. "I need to let go in order to get my wand."

A wave of fear came from the blond and Harry knew that the blond was thinking Harry was just going to leave him to die.

"Listen to me," Harry said, bending closer to his ear even as he felt his hands begin to slip off the blond's waist. "I just need to let go for a second, but I'm going to dive for my wand and hex it, okay?"

The blond cried out as the dragon sunk its talons into his arm in order to get a better hold on him. Harry saw its nostrils flare as its wings bent and knew that it would soon release a flame that would get both of them. The second before Harry loosened his grip around Malfoy's waist, he whispered in his ear: "Trust me."

Malfoy let out a shout of terror as he skidded across the floor, his arm helplessly being held by the talons as the dragon swooped backward. Harry dove for his wand, rolling across the floor and picked it up. He wheeled around as the dragon glided backward away from the cave with Malfoy in its grasp.

"INCENDIO!" Harry bellowed.

A jet of red light erupted from his wand and hit the dragon square in the chest. As the dragon's chest caught fire, it screeched loudly with pain and its talons opened, releasing Malfoy. Harry saw him falling to the ground and hurriedly shouted: "Wingardium leviosa!" The blond floated back up and Harry grabbed his good arm, pulling him back into the cave. The spell broke and Malfoy fell down on top of him as the dragon screeched and tore up to the sky. Harry slowly helped the blond into a sitting position so that he was no longer lying on top of him.

"Let me see your arm," Harry said, reaching out to him.

The blond winced and Harry could see blood dripping down. He gently took Malfoy's arm and pulled the ripped pieces of material away. There was a long deep gash and a couple small gashes next to it. It looked deep enough for stitches, but Harry wasn't sure how that worked in the wizard world. The blood was dark and it was oozing out. He knew that if he didn't clean it and stop the bleeding then the blond would begin to get faint from loss of blood.

"We should clean it at the lake and wrap it to try and stop the bleeding," Harry said.

Malfoy winced again and finally gazed up at him. Harry could see he was pale and his hair was disheveled, but it was the look in his eyes that shocked him most. The look, he felt, was akin to gratitude; Malfoy was grateful of what he did even though he didn't say anything. So perhaps the blond _was_ grateful that he gave him the Scale, but he just didn't want to say so.

"Do you need help up?" Harry asked, gesturing as he stood up.

"I'm fine, Potter," Malfoy said, holding his wounded arm.

Harry levitated the blond down first and then himself. They traveled to the lake in silence and when they arrived, Malfoy slowly bent down toward the shallow end. Harry noticed Malfoy was trying to do it all by himself. He scooped up water with his good arm and poured it on the cut, wincing.

"Take off your shirt," Harry said.

The blond jerked his head toward him and Harry felt a wave of confusion and something else that he couldn't place.

"What, Potter?" he drawled quietly.

"Your shirt," Harry gestured to it. "It's already ripped so we can tear a large piece and use it to wrap your wound and stop the bleeding."

Malfoy didn't say anything for a minute and then he snorted softly. Slowly, he tried to get his shirt off, but he could scarcely move his bad arm. Harry walked over and bent down and Malfoy jerked his head toward him.

"I don't need your help Potter!"

"Shut-up!" Harry exclaimed, ignoring the blond's glare.

Harry pulled the shirt apart, exposing the blond's well-toned chest and torso. He slowly pulled it off the bad arm and he felt Malfoy's pain before it finally ebbed away. Once the bad arm was free Harry got it off the good arm and then tore a huge piece of it. Then bending over, Harry used the rest of the shirt to dip it in water and then carefully he placed it on the wound.

"Careful, Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed, hissing with pain.

"Just hold still," Harry said, feeling rather annoyed at the blond's constant stubborn nature.

Going slowly, Harry dabbed the wound until most of the blood was cleaned up. Then he took the smaller piece of the shirt, dipped it in the lake water, and wrapped it around Malfoy's wound, tying it securely.

"That should stop the bleeding," Harry said.

Malfoy didn't look at him and slowly stood up. Harry concentrated and felt Malfoy struggling internally. He couldn't figure out any details and wondered if the potion was still even taking effect.

"Look, we should probably try to find some food," Harry said.

"Obviously Potter," Malfoy drawled, still turned away from him.

"I'll go this way," Harry said, trying not to start another argument.

"Fine," Malfoy said, walking in the opposite direction.

Sighing irritably, Harry turned and walked away. He sensed that the blond was definitely struggling with his emotions, but it would help if the blond could try to get along with him. After all, Harry saved his life _again_. The good thing was that Harry had gotten a strong sensation that Malfoy was grateful when he pulled him out of the dragon's grasp, but now the blond had reverted back to being sarcastic and distant. Harry had a sense that perhaps the blond used it to hide his feelings.

Perhaps if he just kept being nice to Malfoy, the blond would eventually come around. For some reason, Malfoy liked to get a rise out of him—that was clear. He had purposefully tried to piss him off earlier, but Harry didn't understand what satisfaction he got out of that. Unless there was a deeper meaning behind that as well.

After looking around for some time, Harry found a raspberry bush. He decided not to pick any just yet. Walking back the way he came, Harry wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"POTTER!"

Harry jolted as he heard Malfoy shout for him from a distance. A loud screech followed and Harry instantly dashed toward it. He ran, dodging through trees until he came back to the lake. The huge dragon that he had thought had been injured enough to leave them alone, was swooping down toward Malfoy with its talons out. The blond was gripping his sore arm and tried firing hexes at it. The hair on the dragon's chest had been burned off, but it was quickly growing back. Harry ran closer to get a better aim as the dragon swooped down toward Malfoy again with its talons out.

"LUMOCIO!" Harry bellowed.

White magic erupted from his wand and hit the dragon before it reached Malfoy. Electric shocks erupted around the dragon's body and it roared with pain, flapping its wings backward. Malfoy turned and saw him standing there and Harry stared back at him. The blond's arm was bleeding again, soaking through the material probably because he had to dodge the dragon's attacks. Harry opened his mouth to ask him if he was alright when a loud screech echoed. Malfoy's head jerked back around in shock and terror as the dragon came charging at him. Malfoy hurriedly tried to shoot something as he backed away, but he tripped backward and fell hissing with pain.

Harry ran as fast as possible shooting hexes at it to slow it down. One of them finally hit the dragon's face, but it only hesitated for a split second and continued charging down toward Malfoy. It gave Harry just enough time to dash toward the blond as he struggled to stand up. Leaping forward, Harry crashed into Malfoy and pushed him out of the way as the dragon's talons scraped past them. The dragon soared up to the sky as Malfoy fell over from the force of the shove and Harry fell right on top of him.

"Can you move?" Harry asked quickly.

The blond winced and clutched as his wounded arm. "Potter, get off," he said.

"It's not after me, Malfoy. It seems to be fixated with you for some reason."

"That doesn't mean it won't attack you too to get to me," Malfoy tried to drawl, but it just came out slightly sarcastic.

Harry looked up and saw the dragon approaching them fast; its talons were out and prepared but Malfoy was in too much pain to move out of the way in time.

"Stay down," Harry ordered.

The blond stared up at him and his eyes widened slightly. Harry could feel gratitude mixed with uncertainty. Harry lifted up a bit and put his hands on either side of Malfoy's head.

"Potter, what are you doing?"

"You're in too much pain and we can't move out of the way in time. Just don't move," Harry said, keeping his legs on either side of Malfoy's.

The dragon screeched as it neared them, snapping its jaw and Harry tensed. The dragon would have no choice but to go for him first and when it did Harry would be taken up, but he would hopefully have a clear shot of its underbelly where it was most vulnerable. Harry could feel Malfoy's fear and confusion. It seemed he was struggling internally again, but Harry was too distracted to try and delve deeper. The dragon screeched and headed right for Harry. That was when Harry saw it. Its nostrils flared and it was finally going to use its flame. Harry was sure now why it hadn't used it much. The dragon couldn't use it at full power without resting its jaw for a little bit. And now it was prepared to barbeque the both of them.

"Potter! It's going to use fire!" Malfoy exclaimed, trying to get up.

"It's too late! We can't move fast enough! Just keep down," Harry said, pointing his wand at the dragon. "I'll handle it!"

Harry was prepared when the dragon released fire, closing in on ten feet away. Harry shouted a shield charm that surrounded them and deflected the fire. However, the dragon charged toward them even after its flame stopped. Harry's eyes widened knowing the dragon would have him before he could shout a hex. Malfoy let out a sound of surprise and in that split second Harry raised his body up over Malfoy's head to protect him.

The dragon opened its mouth toward him and Harry knew it would kill him instantly. Suddenly, just before the dragon's mouth reached him, a luminous light erupted and the dragon screeched, losing its aim and crashed to the ground. The light had blinded it and seemed to be causing it pain as it writhed on the ground for several seconds. Harry squinted and glanced down at Malfoy, but the blond was looking up at him with wide perplexed eyes. He noticed the blond was looking at his ear. When Harry's eyes turned he could see light on the side of his face; his earring was glowing. That explained why his left ear felt warm and tingly all of a sudden.

The dragon screeched in a high-pitched roar and then took off to the sky. It flew away from them and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Carefully, he got up off of Malfoy and reached out his hand to help him up. Malfoy glanced at it and then reached out with his good arm and grabbed his hand. Harry helped him up and then gazed at the blond's injured arm.

"We should wash it and rewrap it."

"I can do it, Potter," Malfoy said, walking toward the lake.

Harry watched as the blond carefully unwound the material and cleaned his wound gently. Then dipping the material in the water as Harry had done, he rewrapped his arm. When the blond stood up and turned back around to face him Harry decided to break the silence.

"I found a raspberry bush."

"Let's go then, Potter," Malfoy said.

Harry nodded and led the way to the bush. The both of them picked some raspberries and ate them. It wasn't enough to satisfy their hunger, but it helped. After they ate a handful each, they made their way back to the cave. Once inside the shaded cave, Malfoy finally spoke.

"How the hell are we going to get out of here, Potter?" Malfoy drawled, although Harry could sense some fear.

"I'm not sure," Harry admitted.

"Well we better figure something out soon before we starve to death or get eaten!" Malfoy snapped.

"I'm thinking, okay?" Harry retorted angrily.

Malfoy snorted and then picked up his sleeping bag which had gotten thrown to the side. He fixed it and lay down on it. For a while they both remained silent and Harry thought hard. He was sure that the dragon that had attacked had been an Ironbelly dragon. It was the largest breed of dragon that was alive (the legendary ice dragon had been the largest, having weighed up to eight tons).

In fact, Professor Everard had talked about dragons recently and mentioned the Ironbelly and how it could grow to weigh up to five or six tons. And it was a metallic grey color, had long talons and its eyes were a deep crimson. The dragon was listed in creature books as a five star beast, meaning it was very dangerous. And that explained why it had to take a breather between throwing fire. Ironbelly's could produce hot, thick flames, but they couldn't continually do so. They had to take time to regenerate; that was the only good thing.

That meant they were probably somewhere in Australia, since Ironbelly's (though native to Ukraine) loved traveling and over the past few years had migrated to Australia because the weather was warm enough for them. Australia thankfully wasn't too far from New Zealand, where the Embervale Academy was located, but they had to find a way back. If only they could send a message asking for help.

Harry's mood lifted. "I've got an idea."

Malfoy turned his head. "What?"

"I've figured out that we're probably somewhere in Australia. There are a couple species of phoenixes that live in Australia. If we could find a phoenix then perhaps we could send a message to the school."

"Potter, even if we did find a phoenix wild ones are not just going to take the letter and go to where it needs to be."

"That's where you're wrong," Harry said, glancing at him. "I know phoenixes. I've had loads of experience with Dumbledore's. And I know they're extremely intelligent birds, which is why we would want to find one of them and not just any bird. If we get it to trust us, it'll know where to send the letter."

"And where are we supposed to find one?" Malfoy drawled.

"They build nests in shady areas, especially where there's lots of trees. If we go back toward the lake and search around we might find one."

Malfoy reluctantly got up. "This better work, Potter."

"Do you have any other ideas?" Harry shot back.

The blond glared at him and levitated down from the cave. Harry followed suit and they headed back to the lake. The two of them were hot and hungry, but they managed to walk through the tiny forest of trees around the lake.

After a little while of walking, Malfoy spoke: "I haven't seen anything Potter!"

"Shh!" Harry said, stopping him.

They halted and listened. Harry thought he had heard something. There seemed to be only silence and he wondered if it was the heat that was making him hear things. Suddenly, a soft melody erupted and Harry's heart leaped.

"It's a phoenix," Harry said quietly, turning to Malfoy who just glanced at him.

He could sense Malfoy's relief. Slowly, Harry walked quietly through the trees, looking up into the branches. When he spotted something blue he grabbed Malfoy's arm to stop him. The blond surprisingly didn't fight him or make a sarcastic comment. Harry released his arm and gestured up into the trees. Malfoy gazed up and spotted the blue dot way up high. Harry licked his lips and whistled a low tune—the same tune that he had heard Fawkes sing.

A caw came in response and all of a sudden a beautiful blue head popped into view. The phoenix spotted them and came out from behind a large branch. Harry continued to whistle the low tune and he held his arm out. The phoenix cocked its head to the side and spread its wings. It glided down to the branch below it and perched there. It was still up high, but now they could see the entire thing. Its feathers were a combination of blue and white and its head was blue except for the streak of white that ran between its eyes down to its beak.

Harry increased the pitch of his whistle and the phoenix opened its beak, releasing a soft short melody. Then it flapped its wings and suddenly soared down toward them. Harry kept his arm out and remained still. The phoenix hovered above them for a few seconds before it gradually came lower and landed on Harry's arm. Smiling, Harry whistled as he reached out his other hand slowly. The bird cocked its head again and cawed, seemingly trying to avoid Harry's hand as it scooted away.

"Malfoy, get a couple raspberries," Harry whispered.

The blond nodded silently and went to retrieve them. Harry continued to whistle to the bird until Malfoy returned. The blond walked up behind him quietly and Harry reached his hand back subtly. Malfoy dropped a couple raspberries in his hand and Harry slowly turned his palm up and showed them to the phoenix. He then whistled again, increasing his pitch. The phoenix caught sight of the berries and scooted up a little, bending its neck down to get a better look. Harry gently moved his hand forward. The phoenix hesitantly sniffed at the berries and then gobbled them up. Harry then carefully reached up his hand and gently ran his fingers along the feathers. The phoenix made a gentle sound, turning its head, but didn't fly away.

"Okay, I think it's working. Can you transfigure something into a quill and parchment," Harry whispered.

He heard the blond step away and a couple minutes later he heard Malfoy step next to him. Turning, Harry saw that he had a quill and parchment.

"Write to the headmistress and tell her what happened. Tell her I think we're somewhere in Australia and we'll send up red sparks."

Malfoy scribbled on the parchment and folded it before he handed it to him. Slowly, Harry brought the folded parchment up and the phoenix stared at it.

"Please, can you bring this to Embervale Academy in New Zealand," Harry said to it.

The phoenix bobbed its head and ruffled its feathers. Carefully, Harry held it out to it and the phoenix inspected it before it snapped it up in its beak. Then it flew off back up to the tree and landed on a high branch.

"I don't think it understands, Potter," Malfoy drawled.

"Just give it a minute," Harry said irritably.

They watched the phoenix as it ruffled its feathers again. It scooted along the branch and turned the parchment in its mouth. Then suddenly it flew off to the sky and soon disappeared in the distance.

"Well, we'll know in a day or two if it understood," Harry said.

"A day or two, Potter?" Malfoy spat. "I can't even last another hour!"

The blond then wheeled around and stomped back in the direction they came. Glaring as he watched Malfoy walk away, Harry decided to be smart and went to pick some more raspberries. As he did, he found a little path through some bushes and led to a grapevine. Some of the grapes weren't ripe enough, but they would have to do. After Harry picked a bunch of each fruit he then transfigured a stick into a bucket and got some water from the lake. He headed back to the cave and found Malfoy lying on his sleeping bag with a moody expression on his face.

Harry had taken off his shirt to carry the berries and grapes so he just placed his shirt on the ground with the food on top.

"We can charm the lake water to make it more like drinking water. It should hydrate us at least until we're rescued."

"_If_ we're rescued," the blond drawled, sitting up. "Who knows if that phoenix will just use that parchment to piss on or not."

"What the hell is your problem?" Harry snapped unexpectedly. "We're in a bad situation and all you do is make sarcastic remarks! I'm the one getting the food and water and saving your ass from being eaten! So why the bloody hell do you have to have an attitude?"

"Because, Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed, sitting up all the way. "I'm starving, my arm is bothering me, and it's too bloody hot! To make it all worse, I'm stuck with you and I haven't had Flaming Butterbeer or sex for too long now!"

Harry felt his stomach flip nervously, but he just stared at the blond firmly. "First off, Malfoy, alcohol doesn't solve any problems! In fact, it would only make you more dehydrated! Second of all, you seriously can't go just a few days without sex?"

"Sex with you doesn't count, Potter," Malfoy drawled. "I haven't had _real_ sex in a while!"

Clenching his fists, Harry's expression darkened. "What the hell is wrong with you? You treat everyone like whores!"

"What the hell would you know about me?" Malfoy spat.

"I know that at Hogwarts you were seen with a different girl every couple of weeks. I bet you just shagged them and then dumped them! That's why I bet you've never had a long-term relationship _and_ that's why you can't handle not having sex for more than a short while!"

"You don't know anything Potter!"

"Really? Then tell me, how long was your longest relationship?"

He saw the blond clench his sleeping bag between his fists. Malfoy narrowed his eyes and Harry could feel the anger radiating off of him.

"Then I'm right. You only use people for sex."

"Shut the bloody hell up Potter!" Malfoy seethed. "At least I have relationships! The reason why you can handle not having sex is because you don't get any!"

Harry felt his anger boil. "Just because I don't prostitute myself doesn't mean I don't get any sex, Malfoy! It means that I actually have relationships and I wait until I know someone before I sleep with them! I don't just shag people for the hell of it!"

Malfoy's eyes glistened with anger and he glared. "You don't know anything about my relationships! I don't care what you heard or saw at Hogwarts! And anyway Potter, if you get sex at all who is it with if you're not with Weasel's sister?"

He felt his nerves tingle and he tried not to get anxious. He didn't like being put on the spot but Malfoy wasn't one to give up. Harry had to give him something of the truth, without telling him outright he really didn't get any sex.

"I'm not in a relationship currently," Harry said firmly as Malfoy's lips curled upward. "But who I was with was a girl that you don't know."

"If I don't know her then tell me her name," Malfoy drawled, smirking.

Harry took in a deep breath. "Her name was Callista. She didn't go to Hogwarts; she graduated from Beauxbatons."

"So she's older than you, Potter?" Malfoy raised an eyebrow.

"We're not together anymore. And yes, she was a year older than me. That's all you need to know."

Malfoy stared at him intensely and then crossed his arms. "Does Weasel's sister know?"

The expression on Harry's face gave it away and Malfoy smirked. "So she doesn't."

"Malfoy, shut-up! If you want to be an asshole and go tell her that's fine with me!" Harry snapped. "Even if you were to tell her, despite that I've saved your life three times now," he continued as Malfoy's eyes narrowed, "it doesn't matter. She wouldn't believe you. And if I did decide to tell her, it wouldn't be a big deal. Ginny and I aren't together anymore and we only went out for a couple of weeks in the first place. She and I had already broken up before I met Callista so it's not like I was cheating on her."

"So if you weren't cheating why did you never tell the Weaslette?" Malfoy drawled, a small smirk on his face.

"Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed in exasperation. "Look, it's really none of your business! I wasn't cheating and I didn't tell her because when I got back to Hogwarts I wasn't with Callista anymore."

"And why's that? Did she want someone who's more experienced? Or perhaps someone who's more well-endowed?" Malfoy smirked.

"You're not that bigger than me Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed, glaring at him. "Not that you have a right to know, but Callista told me I was a nice size. And I know I'm above average. So, just because you're a little bigger than I am doesn't mean you're better than me."

"Perhaps you don't realize this Potter, but size makes a difference to women. Even if you're above average, there are loads of guys, like myself, who are way above average. And that's what women like."

"You're not more than an inch bigger! That's hardly a difference!"

"It is to women, Potter. An inch can make a lot of difference," Malfoy drawled arrogantly. "Your girlfriend Callista, or whatever, was probably a virgin or inexperienced."

Harry clenched his jaw in anger. He wasn't about to admit to Malfoy that he and Callista hadn't had sexual intercourse, but he had experienced his first intense make-out and his first blow-job. That was all they had done. They had only been together for a couple months while Harry was searching for Voldemort's Horcruxes. He had met her in the small village where Voldemort's mother had grown up.

Harry had started there, thinking he could hopefully find some clues. And he bumped into Callista and she hadn't recognized him as the famous Harry Potter, not until he revealed his scar which had been hidden behind his bangs. He was starving and exhausted and Callista had invited him to her parent's house to stay. And they had talked for a while before she found out who he was and even then she hadn't treated him differently. She was a pretty girl with long brown hair with bangs and bright blue eyes.

He liked her and that was why after a couple months of hanging out and kissing, before he had to leave, they had gotten closer and Callista unexpectedly gave him a blow-job even though he didn't know her extremely well. It could've been that he was stressed out because Voldemort was growing stronger, people were dying, and he had no idea how to find all the Horcruxes and destroy them.

"She wasn't a virgin!" Harry exclaimed finally. "She had been in more relationships than I had because she told me about them. You just wish that was the case!"

"Please Potter," Malfoy drawled coolly.

"Just shut-up! You have no right to judge my body and I don't care what you think," Harry said heatedly.

He then headed to the opening of the cave.

"Where the hell are you going Potter?"

"I'm going to wash up at the lake, if it's any of your business!" Harry exclaimed, wheeling back around.

He levitated down and headed to the lake, still fuming. Malfoy was unbelievable! Granted, Harry knew the blond was hungry and miserable just like he was, which was probably the main reason for their arguments, but it was still hard to cope with. It bothered him that he did care what Malfoy thought about him. Harry shook his head as he stopped at the shallow part of the lake. He took his clothes off and slipped into the cool, refreshing water. He just hoped that the phoenix would come through for them, because if it didn't they'd probably kill one another.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

To Reviewers: 

**FlashDrive: **Thanks a bunch! I'm glad you're liking this! Yeah, Draco's super stubborn in this story, but I figure it'd be a challenge to get through his defenses with how he grew up and everything. Don't worry, next chapter has another lemon and soon after Draco will slowly start warming up! He's just in denial right now.

**Misstree: **thank you! I'm glad you're liking it! There will be a lemon next chapter so the romance will slowly become more intense.

**Missy Padfoot: **Thank you! Hehe, no don't worry the Veelas didn't make them sleep together. Being drunk helped, but the Veelas just helped to turn them on a little. And of course they went for each other because they're both still in denial. But they'll soon start realizing their feelings. Next chapter has another lemon!

**Maegwin: **Thanks! Yeah, I know they're always fighting, but they're both still in denial right now. Next chapter has another lemon! And slowly Draco will start getting less frustrating. Hehe!

**Snowfalcon: **Hehe, I'm glad you liked it! There will be another lemon next chapter! Yes, Harry is more open than Draco, but the blond just has a stubborn personality. Nope, Harry didn't have free-range on Malfoy's thoughts. He did hear some, but from now on he'll mostly get feelings. He hadn't realized his Legilmency has improved. That's true that Harry isn't interacting with other people at this school. He will shortly, but up to this point it was to show Harry's obsession with Malfoy. He could only ever think about the blond and interact with him, even if it was mostly arguments. And that's because he hasn't realized his feelings quite yet. He'll realize them before Malfoy though. That's true that solid colors get boring, but I never imagined Harry to be "in style" so to speak. I feel like he's always worn plainer clothes than everyone else. I will update asap!

**Kai'sgrl: **I'm glad you're liking this. Yeah, I agree that it's unrealistic for them to be falling all over each other. Not for a long while anyway. Hehe! There will be another lemon in the next chapter and slowly they'll start realizing their feelings for one another. I'm glad you liked the Merlin part too. I'll update asap!


	14. Deep Attraction

**Pure Rhapsody**

**WARNING:**_**Sexual content in this chapter!**_

**Chapter 13: Deep Attraction**

The water wiped away any traces of sweat or grime and Harry sighed and stretched his muscles. His back was a little sore, but he was fine other than being hungry and agitated. He remained in the shallow area for a while just letting his thoughts wander. He was uncertain why Malfoy had to constantly have his sarcasm cover what he was feeling. It was obvious he was grateful that Harry saved him again, but a few minutes after the dragon had left Malfoy was back to his arrogant self. He just didn't understand it and he wanted to figure out a while to get the blond to be more open with his feelings.

"What am I saying?" Harry whispered aloud, shaking his head as droplets of water sprayed everywhere.

Harry splashed his face with more water and sighed contently. Seconds later his relaxation was ruined.

"Potter!"

Harry wheeled around in the water, thankful that only his chest and torso were visible. The lower half of his body was beneath the water so Malfoy couldn't see anything (not that he hadn't seen everything already). The blond approached the shore and crossed his arms over his bare chest.

"What the hell is taking you so long?"

"I'm taking my time! Why do you care?" Harry retorted.

"Because you're not the only one who needs to wash up," Malfoy drawled as sweat trickled down the side of his face.

"Malfoy, the lake is huge. You can find your own spot to bathe."

"If you hadn't noticed Potter, it's hard to bathe in the deep water," Malfoy said, narrowing his eyes. "And _you're_ hogging the shallow end."

Harry splashed more water on his face and rubbed harshly. "Malfoy…," Harry's jaw clenched. "Look, I don't feel like fighting any more. I'll get out when I'm ready to get out. If you don't want to wait then go to the opposite end."

Even as Harry gestured to the opposite end of the shallow lake, he realized there wasn't a lot of distance between them. Still, if he kept his back to the blond and ignored him then hopefully they wouldn't get into another fight. The blond wiped his forehead and glared at him.

"Fine! But keep your eyes over there, Potter!"

"Like hell I want to see you naked, Malfoy!"

He saw Malfoy sneer at him before he turned around. Surprisingly, the blond didn't say anything. Harry decided not to mention that he had already seen Malfoy naked, twice now. He heard Malfoy moving and then he heard a light splash of water. His entire body tensed and Harry tried to ignore the pounding in his chest. Something was off, but he wasn't sure what. Perhaps he was still wary of Malfoy subconsciously. It was true he didn't believe Malfoy had committed the murders, but at the same time he knew the Slytherin was far from innocent.

Still…if Malfoy hadn't committed the murders, then who did? It had to have been someone who cleverly set him up—someone who stole the vials and left an unknown blond hair to throw the Ministry off. Harry's first instinct was telling him it must've been Lucius Malfoy. He wasn't sure how the man got out of Azkaban or faked his own death, but he couldn't think of anyone else. Then again, it was a little unnerving that Lucius Malfoy would frame his own son just to make sure the Ministry didn't find him. Harry heard Malfoy behind him moving in the water and then it was silent. Turning his head just slightly, Harry peered over his shoulder. The blond wasn't there.

He turned completely and then he spotted the bubbles surfacing on the water. Before he could look away, Malfoy resurfaced thankfully with his back turned to him. The blond's fair skin was dripping with water and Malfoy raked his hands through his hair still facing away from him. Harry's eyes caught sight of something and he squinted. There was something on Malfoy's lower back. And it was moving.

"Malfoy, don't move!" Harry whispered sharply.

He saw Malfoy's shoulders tense. "What the hell are you—"

"There's something on you! Hold still!" Harry exclaimed, trying to be as quiet as possible lest he anger whatever was moving.

The blond didn't move and Harry approached him, slowly treading through the shallow water. He reached out a hand and smacked Malfoy's lower back unexpectedly. The blond wheeled around and Harry managed to avoid being hit in the face, but he didn't move away fast enough as Malfoy grabbed his wrist and twisted it.

"Let go!" Harry snapped, wincing at the slight pain that ran up his arm.

"What the hell are you trying to pull, Potter?" Malfoy bellowed furiously.

Harry clenched his jaw. "Stop it! There was something moving on your back!"

"I told you to keep your eyes away from me, Potter!" the blond's eyes narrowed. "Why the hell were you looking at me?"

Instantly, Harry felt his insides squirm uncomfortably. It was true that he looked over at the blond out of reaction; he hadn't been thinking. Licking his lips nervously, Harry narrowed his eyes as well.

"I heard something Malfoy and I thought it might be the dragon. So I turned and then I saw something moving out of the corner of my eye. I needed to make sure that it wasn't anything dangerous."

"What is it with you always trying to play the hero!" Malfoy snapped. "Not to mention you're bloody stupid. I'm surprised you've survived so long on your pathetic instincts."

"My instincts about the dragon returning were right before!" Harry exclaimed defensively.

His wrist was released and Malfoy sneered in amusement. "That was probably a lucky guess."

"Then what was moving on your back?" Harry retorted, glaring at him coolly.

"It was my tattoo, Potter!"

Harry's expression faltered and he stared at him with both confusion and surprise. "What? A tattoo? But why was it moving?"

"That's what tattoos do, Potter," Malfoy drawled.

"Like wizard photographs?" Harry asked curiously.

The blond stared at him with an unreadable look. "Potter, if I didn't know any better I'd guess you were a muggle with a wand. All wizard tattoos move. A five-year-old would know that."

"I didn't grow up in the wizard world, Malfoy," Harry shot back.

"Obviously," the blond drawled with a smirk.

With a shove, Malfoy pushed him so that he stumbled back a little ways. "Now get back to your own spot."

The blond wheeled around and Harry stared at his back for a few seconds. He opened his mouth then closed it and then opened it again.

"What's it of?"

Malfoy jerked his head over his shoulder and gazed at him intensely. "What?" he snapped.

"Your tattoo. What's it of?"

"It's my business, Potter!"

Harry's gaze darkened. "It was just a simple question! You don't have to get an attitude about everything!"

Turning his back on the blond, Harry angrily swam back to his spot. His instincts were telling him that Malfoy was watching him, but he ignored the feeling and it finally went away. Several minutes later, without glancing at Malfoy, Harry slipped out of the water and hurriedly threw his clothes on. Then he headed back to the cave.

There was a nice cool breeze and Harry lay down upon his sleeping bag. Malfoy didn't return to the cave until an hour later. The blond looked disgruntled and was only wearing his torn jeans. His bare chest had droplets of water on it.

"There's hardly any more berries left on that tree, Potter! When's your bloody bird going to do something?"

"It's a bush and if we have to we can explore a farther distance from the cave, maybe in the opposite direction where we first landed. There might be other bushes around."

"Oh right and run into another bloody dragon!" Malfoy snapped. "That's brilliant Potter. Why don't we just drown ourselves now?"

"Go ahead," Harry added coldly.

Malfoy wheeled around and glared at him, clutching his wand firmly. "Don't piss me off, Potter!"

"Or you'll what?" Harry challenged, jumping to his feet with his wand in hand.

The two of them glared heatedly at one another but neither made a move. Harry's anger died down and he slumped back onto his sleeping bag. He knew that both of them were hungry, hot and miserable and that's why they were getting on each other's nerves even more than before. Malfoy finally seemed to give up as well for he lowered his wand. The blond turned around and Harry glanced up at his back. He could only see a tip of his tattoo. He hadn't realized Malfoy had one because he had only seen the blond's front, even after they had…

Swallowing thickly, Harry pushed the thoughts away. Malfoy ignored him even as it began to get dark again. The blond lay down on his side with his back facing Harry. Despite that the sun had disappeared and the crescent moon glimmered in the sky, Harry couldn't sleep. He sat on his sleeping bag wondering if they were ever going to be saved. Perhaps Malfoy was right—perhaps the phoenix had just taken off with the parchment without knowing what to do.

A little while later Harry was still up lost in his thoughts. He glanced over at Malfoy and his eyes stared at the spot where his tattoo lay beneath his jeans. Curiosity consumed him and Harry tried to fight it but he convinced himself that it would just be a peek. He crept over to where Malfoy lay, thankful that the cave was completely dark. Only a small section at the mouth of it was illuminated by the light of the moon.

After peering over the blond's form to make sure he was asleep, Harry used his wand and murmured a spell, pointing it at the back of Malfoy's jeans. Slowly, the section that the wand was pointed at began to bend unnaturally and slip downward. The black tip came into view even though he couldn't make out details and slowly a larger part was revealed. Harry couldn't make out anything in the dark so he slowly moved his wand. He wasn't sure if the entire tattoo was revealed or not but he wanted to see. Just before he was about to use his wand as a light Malfoy turned, groaning and Harry jumped backward. Quickly, he hurried onto his own sleeping bag as Malfoy sat up. Then the blond got up and headed toward the mouth of the cave.

Harry sat up, feeling that it wasn't necessary to pretend he was sleeping. "Malfoy, where are you going?" he whispered.

The blond's head turned just slightly to glance at him and Harry could tell he looked a bit disoriented. It was probably a combination of sleep-deprivation and hunger.

"I'm pissing Potter, as if you need to know," the blond drawled quietly.

Harry turned away, feeling his throat constrict at the sound of the blond unzipping his jeans. He waited until Malfoy had re-zipped his jeans and headed back before he glanced at him.

"What are you doing up, Potter?" Malfoy drawled, slumping down onto his sleeping bag.

"I…," Harry's voice faltered as he sensed something. It was a wave of arousal and he swallowed. He knew that it wasn't him so it had to be Malfoy. The blond was aroused and though he couldn't feel it strongly, he could still sense it. "I couldn't sleep," Harry said finally.

Malfoy snorted and lay down. After several minutes, Harry assumed Malfoy went to sleep again, and approached the mouth of the cave. He sat down and sighed with relief as a cool breeze swept over his sweaty skin. He had never put his shirt back on because it was too hot so the wind hit his bare chest. There was a slight howling in the wind and Harry stared out at the darkening land. He heard a noise and turned to see Malfoy standing nearby him.

"What is that Potter?" Malfoy asked, staring out as well.

Harry turned back to look and the cool breeze swept across his face, lifting his bangs to reveal his scar which was illuminated by the moonlight. When he glanced back at Malfoy, he saw that the blond was staring at his forehead.

"I'm not sure," Harry answered quietly, pretending like he hadn't noticed. "I don't sense any danger though."

The blond just stared at him indifferently and Harry's eyes widened. "Malfoy! By your face."

Malfoy jerked his head and swatted at the glowing ball of light that had been lingering next to his face. Harry watched it dodge Malfoy's hand and then bounce in the air throughout the cave before it came out and encircled Harry's head.

"Annoying moon-dancers," Malfoy muttered.

Harry gazed over at him and then watched as the moon-dancer flickered away up into the sky. With the distraction gone and Malfoy only a foot away, Harry could once again sense his arousal. He tried to ignore it but for some reason it was making him nervous.

"Why won't you show me your tattoo?" Harry blurted out.

Sneering, the blond sat down and stared at him. "Why the hell do you want to see it so badly Potter?"

Harry shrugged. "I've never seen a wizard tattoo before."

Malfoy's sneer began to fade; obviously he had been trying to tease him or taunt him but Harry had answered him truthfully. It was unnerving that Malfoy was suddenly silent, staring at him through half-darkness as the moon was partly covered by a cloud. Although they could still see one another, only their faces were most visible. It was then Harry realized that in the moonlight it felt surreal—almost as if he was dreaming again. Malfoy's eyes were staring at him, but he seemed somewhat tired so his gaze wasn't as piercing as usual. Another glowing ball of light appeared above Malfoy's head and floated down to perch on Malfoy's head. Harry couldn't contain the smile of amusement and he saw Malfoy's eyes narrow.

"What's so funny Potter?"

Harry scooted forward until he was right in front of Malfoy. The blond was too tired to react and Harry reached out both hands. Sliding his fingers through some of the other boy's blond strands, he scooped the moon-dancer into his hands and knelt back down. He was within inches of Malfoy now and the blond stared at his hand were he had captured the glowing moon-dancer.

Harry stared down at it through his palms and the light illuminating off of the creature came through his fingers. It looked almost like a small floating jelly-fish only instead of tentacles it had flowery-like wings that were vapory. The entire body of the small creature was transparent and it was a vibrant lilac color.

Harry opened his palms and allowed the moon-dancer to escape and float back up toward the stars. The light from it had vanished leaving him and Malfoy back in the shadows. The moon wasn't giving off much light, especially since it was still partially blocked by a cloud. Harry was still perched on his knees and he stared into Malfoy's face. The wind had stopped howling but a light cool breeze still filled the cave as the two of them continued to stare. Harry couldn't tear his gaze away from the blond. He scooted forward even more until his knees practically brushed against Malfoy's legs.

His stomach made a subtle sound of hunger but Harry ignored it. He wanted to know if Malfoy was still aroused and without thinking he put a hand on the blond's shoulder. Before Harry could use his Legilmency to sense anything, Malfoy jerked in response and grabbed his wrist. Suddenly Harry was on the floor and Malfoy still had his wrist. But instead of twisting it painfully, Malfoy used it to push him down and then he took advantage by crawling on top of him. Harry's heart was pounding a mile a minute and he could scarcely breathe. He hardly noticed that his anxiety had turned to excitement.

The blond tried to pin him down and Harry wasn't sure what was going through his mind, but he didn't care. The next thing he knew he had wrapped his arms around Malfoy's neck and forced the blond down toward him. Their lips met in a hasty, unexpected kiss. The sound of their lips breaking apart echoed in the cave. The moon was now completely hidden by the cloud. The cave was in total darkness and Harry could see Malfoy's outline above him and he could hear the blond's heavy breathing.

He was beginning to become aroused just like in his dreams. Perhaps he had fallen asleep and he hadn't realized it. All thoughts fled from him as Malfoy roughly crushed his lips down upon his. Their chests met and both their hearts pounded in sync. Harry could clearly sense Malfoy's arousal but his mind was so overwhelmed that he didn't process anything. The lips on his were so warm and inviting. And the body on top of his was causing his stomach to squirm with anticipation.

The blond's lips pulled away from his and Harry opened his eyes to see the outline of Malfoy moving above him. He saw Malfoy pull off his shirt and toss it aside. Then the blond fumbled with his pants and Harry's mind and heart were racing so fast; everything was moving so fast. He could scarcely breathe now as Malfoy lay down upon him. The mouth was on his again and a tongue found its way between his lips. Harry released a quiet groan as he felt hands on his pants. Harry tried to help by unbuttoning his jeans but there was no need. The blond pulled out his wand and Harry's pants came off of their own accord.

Harry was breathing heavily and he felt his own body beginning to react. As Malfoy pressed down against him, the two of them began kissing and groping. The kissing and the touching were welcomed distractions from the hunger and possibility of being stuck there for a long time. Harry's back arched up off the cave floor when Malfoy's mouth moved to his neck and proceeded to suck harshly. It was on the junction of his neck and collar bone and it sent shivers throughout his body.

Closing his eyes, Harry released a moan as the lips sucked on his skin. Harry wound his hands around Malfoy's back and trailed his short nails up and down the expansion of skin. His fingers halted when they came to his lower back. Slipping a bit beneath Malfoy's boxers, Harry's fingers felt the tattoo that was against his back. All he felt was the outline of whatever it was, which happened to be no bigger than Harry's fist, he guessed, but he still couldn't make it out. Malfoy groaned, having apparently enjoyed being caressed back there.

The blond yanked his own boxers down and then went for Harry's. Their naked bodies rubbed together and it was so much different than before. The sensations were clear enough that Harry felt pleasure invade his senses. He felt Malfoy's stomach rumble against his with hunger, but the blond hardly noticed. He rubbed his erection against Harry's thigh. Their mouths met hastily and tongues sparred together. Malfoy wasted no time in lowering his wand toward Harry's entrance. The familiar feeling of the cold, thick gel came and Harry was more aware of it.

Harry's eyes snapped open when he felt Malfoy's erection at his entrance. It was surreal—the mixture of pleasure and pain which hadn't been as clear before. The pain was sharp and quick but the second it faded there was a wave of ecstasy that made Harry gasp aloud. His body trembled as the thick erection penetrated him and rubbed against something inside of him that erased any rational thoughts he had left.

"Ahhh!" Harry groaned, arching up as the erection inside him moved.

The blond above him groaned loudly and placed both hands on either side of his face before thrusting upward. Clutching at the blond's back, Harry felt pleasure ripple through his stomach making him groan. Malfoy released a grunt and then pulled out and thrust back in. Harry's back was scraping against the rough cave floor. Their bodies were soon covered in perspiration and Harry instinctively lifted a leg to wrap it around Malfoy's waist. The pace was slow but deep; they were both tired and neither one spoke. Malfoy's head rested by Harry's as he continued to thrust. A couple of times the penetration was deep enough that it caused Harry to arch upward and release a loud moan. Otherwise, it was a slow, steady pace.

Malfoy grabbed the back of his other thigh and lifted it to allow a better angle. After thrusting several more times, Harry felt his own erection twitch. He hardly realized he had climaxed until Malfoy stilled above him and he felt something warm inside of him. And then it was over.

When Harry opened his eyes the sun was just barely coming into the cave. As he saw the sky and landscape clearly, he remembered about Malfoy and being stranded. Suddenly, Harry panicked. He was a bit disoriented, but only just. Had he been dreaming again last night? If he had had a wet dream in Malfoy's presence…

A soft groan by his ear caused his to jerk up. Harry's arm accidentally slapped Malfoy across the face as he sat up. Right when Harry realized he wasn't wearing any clothes and he was suspiciously sticky, Malfoy sat up next to him. And then it was all too clear what had happened.

"Oh Merlin!" Harry exclaimed suddenly, his throat constricting.

He turned and saw Malfoy looking down at himself. And then the blond's wide eyes caught his.

"POTTER!" Malfoy snarled, jumping to his feet.

"It wasn't my fault! I…you…we weren't even drunk!" Harry exclaimed, completely confused.

And once again he had nothing to cover himself with. Malfoy had leapt up and grabbed his wand cleaning himself off. Harry searched around for his wand and did the same.

"How the hell did this happen?" Harry blurted out.

"Obviously we're going insane from being stuck here!" Malfoy bellowed.

Harry noticed that the blond had slipped on his jeans already.

"And I thought this situation couldn't get any worse!" Malfoy snapped. "If you so much as even _think_ about breathing a word of this!" the blond threatened, pointing his wand at him.

"Oh right, that's exactly what I want to tell everyone," Harry replied sarcastically.

Malfoy glared at him and opened his mouth. A loud high-pitched sound came from the distance and Harry's head jerked toward the noise. Something a distance away was flying.

"It could be the phoenix!" Harry exclaimed, hurrying to slip on his jeans.

He grabbed his wand and then made the same sounds he had before, hoping that it was the phoenix. Malfoy had thankfully lowered his wand and he stared out of the cave with a grim expression. Whatever it was flew closer to the cave and Harry's heart nearly skipped a beat when he saw it was the same phoenix. It landed at the edge of the cave and dropped a letter. Then it soared off, singing its melody. Harry was closer to the letter and he picked it up.

"Read it aloud, Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed.

Not wanting to talk about what had happened between them, Harry nodded. He opened it and read aloud:

_Dear Harry and Draco,_

_I have received your letter. It has come at a crucial time. Your disappearances had deeply concerned me to the point of nearly contacting the Ministry. Seeing as how you are both alright relieves me. Sources revealed that you two had been seen last at the pub and when a couple staff members went there they were handed a disturbing letter addressed to Harry that had been found on the floor. Neither one of you will be punished because it is clear your disappearances were due to an outsider. There is a portkey in this envelope that will send you both to my office immediately. This I feel is serious enough to contact the Ministry. I hope to see you shortly and in good health. _

_Headmistress Maeve_

Shaking the envelope, a small ring fell out onto the cave floor. Harry glanced up at Malfoy uncertainly and the blond approached. Harry levitated the ring so it was in reach and the two of them locked eyes before they touched it. The familiar feeling of a portkey overrode his anxiety about having had sex with Malfoy again, but only briefly. Harry nearly lost balance when he landed but thankfully caught himself. He turned and saw Malfoy standing next to him. The blond didn't look at him but rather looked straight ahead.

"Harry, Draco, I'm glad to see you both are well," the headmistress said calmly.

Harry nodded toward her. "Thank you. Er, how did you figure out we had been at the pub?"

The headmistress locked eyes with him as she stood up. "Because this school, much like Hogwarts, has magical charms on it each student is registered magically in a book. It tells us how many students were have, what years, their names, where they're from, and best of all if they leave the premises we can use the book to trace where they are, or in your case, where you both had been. I have contacted the Ministry about this and have given them the letter. You should've come direction to me, Harry," she said, staring at him.

"I know. I was going to…and then we saw the coin…I'm sorry," Harry said, feeling rather nervous.

"It's fine. But from now on you both should not go off the premises."

"Why me? The letter was directed at Potter," Malfoy retorted.

Harry felt his anger boil, but he didn't turn to look at him.

The headmistress gazed at the blond calmly. "Yes, but you both were transported by the portkey. Whoever is behind this may believe that you now know something, Mr. Malfoy. We can't take any risks. Any deaths of students may shut us down. We aren't as lucky as Hogwarts. We aren't as popular or as powerful of a school, but our school is still just as important. Now, you both don't have that much longer to be here. If you are seen leaving the premises, either one of you, then I will be forced to expel you for your own good."

"It seems like you both have injuries. I want you to see the nurse right away. Is there anything else?"

"No ma'am," Harry answered, hoping that she couldn't read minds.

He could do a bit of Occlumency, but he didn't think Malfoy could. And if she saw what they had done…it would be more than awkward.

"Alright, you both are excused."

Malfoy reached the door before he did and before Harry left the headmistress stopped him.

"Do you have any idea who's behind it?"

Harry hesitated and thought about telling her his theory, but he realized that Malfoy was right about one thing—it sounded absurd.

"No, I don't."

"For your sake, I hope it was just a prank. If the Ministry feels it necessary to have a word with you, I'll let you know."

Harry nodded and then left the room. He was grateful to be back in a nice cool place with food and a soft bed, but he was incredibly concerned about his apparent enemy. He did not believe it was a prank. He wasn't sure whether Malfoy would be a target but he highly doubted it. How would the person behind it know that Malfoy had gotten trapped with him? And why would they want Malfoy anyway? The blond had no clue who was behind it. Still…the thing that was now plaguing him more than another potential threat was the fact that he had Malfoy had had sex again.

After visiting the nurse, going down for a large helping of food and then heading back to his room, Harry lay on the bed and pondered what had happened. It was true he and Malfoy had been tired and hungry, but they still should've been aware of what they were doing. In fact, Harry remembered it now that he thought about it. He could even feel what he had felt then. Feeling blood rise to his face, he turned on his side. It had happened so suddenly and maybe for Malfoy he was just desperate for some sex, but for Harry…he didn't understand what had possessed him. Had he been desperate for a distraction too?

The next day during class the professor told him how thankful he was that he was alright. Harry wondered just how many people knew or at least noticed his absence. Malfoy averted his gaze the entire class period. Harry figured the blond would never want to speak to him again. And for some reason that made Harry's stomach squirm uncomfortably.

When class ended and Malfoy began packing up with the rest of the students, Harry was surprised when the attractive strawberry-blonde-haired girl with dark blue eyes approached him.

"Um…excuse me, Harry?"

"Yes?" Harry blinked.

"I was wondering if you could…um…help me with this assignment," she said, glancing away from his eyes.

"Sure. Er…when did you want help?"

The girl glanced up at him. "Do you think we could meet in the library after dinner tonight?"

"Sure," Harry said.

"Thanks," she smiled. "I'll see you then!"

She left the room with the other students and Harry slumped down in his seat. He wanted to forget about Malfoy, but it was impossible. Whenever he spotted the blond in the hallways, Malfoy would usually ignore him. Sometimes he'd glare at him. During dinner in the dining hall Harry spotted Malfoy talking to another boy and for some reason there was this fear inside of him that thought perhaps Malfoy was going to tell the boy that he was sure Harry was gay.

"Can I sit next to you?"

Harry looked up to see the same girl who had asked him for help.

"Er, sure."

Harry scooted over to give her room and she smiled at him. Glancing back over at the blond, Harry saw Malfoy staring at him. Harry pretended like he was just looking at one of the statues and then gazed at the girl.

"What's your name?"

"Oh, Kali," she said, her cheeks turning pink. "I was named after my great-grandmother who had gotten turned into a vampire."

"Oh, er, I'm sorry," Harry said.

"It's fine," she said. "I just…broke up with my boyfriend recently too."

"Oh," Harry said lamely, feeling nervous.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked, glancing up at him.

Swallowing, Harry hesitated. "Er, no, but I got out of a relationship recently too so I'm not looking for anything right now."

"Yeah," she nodded. "Me either. I'm still…healing I guess.

"I understand," Harry said, nodding.

They ate in relative silence, although Kali talked some about her ex-boyfriend and where she was from. She was apparently from Ireland and Harry said he wouldn't have guessed because she didn't have a thick accent. When they were finished, Kali grabbed his wrist and they walked out. Harry peered out of the corner of his eye and saw Malfoy watching them.

The library was empty except for two students quietly reading. Harry helped Kali with her assignment, although he was soon realizing that she didn't need a whole lot of help on it. After an hour or so, when the library was empty, Kali suddenly leaned forward and kissed him. Harry didn't react because it had happened so fast. When she pulled away, she was blushing and averted her gaze. Harry's heart pounded and he really wished Hermione was there to tell him what to say.

"Er…didn't you say you weren't ready for a relationship?"

Kali nodded. "I'm not. I just need…some comfort, really, that's all."

She looked up at him and Harry suddenly realized what she wanted. She was hoping for a fling—just another boy to kiss her so she could forget about her pain. Harry's first instinct was to say no right away and get up and leave, but something stopped him. He remembered Malfoy taunting him about being a virgin and not being as well-endowed as him, and Malfoy telling him he had poor choices in girls and that he's so inexperienced. And then he remembered Malfoy's thoughts about him thinking Harry might be gay.

All of a sudden, a strange and unexpected thought came to him. What if he, just for this once, had a fling with a girl. He would get more experience and then perhaps he would know for sure if he was more interested in girls or boys. After having sex with Malfoy, despite his dislike for the blond, he would know whether Malfoy's assumption was right or not. And if so, it would answer some of his uncertainty about the Pond of Desires.

Harry then did something that he didn't think he would have ever done if he hadn't encountered Malfoy. He leaned forward and kissed Kali like she had done a moment earlier. He was still uncertain about it even as Kali kissed him back. But then he recalled Malfoy telling him about one of the older girls he shagged and suddenly something flared inside of him. Kali grabbed his hand and gestured for him to stand. The two of them went out into the hall and Kali took him into a storage room filled with old books, lost papers and extra chairs.

Some time later Harry was walking toward his room. When he turned the hallway he suddenly stopped as he spotted Malfoy walking toward him. The blond sneered when he saw him.

"So Potter, where did you and that girl go off to?"

"None of your business, Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed, trying to walk past him.

"Did you shag her?"

"I said it's not your business!" Harry said, wheeling around. "Why the hell do you care?"

Harry could feel Malfoy's curiosity. Malfoy crossed his arms and smirked. "So the famous goody-goody Potter has more balls than I first thought. I'm sure everyone would just about die of shock if they found out."

Harry knew the blond was just trying to get the truth out of him and he didn't fall for it. "Think what you want. But like I said before, I'm not a whore like you," Harry said darkly.

Harry sensed it before it came. He avoided Malfoy's punch and glared as the blond pointed a wand in his face.

"You don't know me, Potter!" Malfoy spat.

"I know enough to know that you owe me your life again," Harry said, wheeling around.

He felt Malfoy's anger flare, but he just kept walking. When he came to his room he slumped down on his bed. Kali had been pretty, but kissing her hadn't excited him. After they had made-out in the storage room for a short while, Harry knew that he wasn't attracted to her. They had stopped and he and Kali went their own way. She didn't seem to regret it nor did she force him to continue any further. She just went back to the library to get her belongings.

Harry had made up his mind to sleep with her if she wanted just to see, but he was glad it didn't go that far. Because he was quite sure, even just from kissing her, that he wasn't attracted to her. And he hadn't been really attracted to Callista either. The girl who had first given him a blow-job. It had been quick and in the dark and Harry had been disoriented and stressed so it hadn't been the best experience of his life, but he remembered that he never climaxed. And Ginny's kisses used to excite him, but he realized that when the feeling faded it was only because he thought they belonged together. She had red-hair like his mom and her family was like his family—he just thought they were destined to be together, but when the excitement of having his first real relationship died down, he realized that he wasn't all that excited.

So it was very possible, he decided, that he was gay. It made a lot of sense really. It explained why he wasn't like other boys—why he didn't have a lot of wet-dreams growing up, or why he didn't really feel the need to get any girl's attention. He thought it was because he had such a miserable and stressful life because of Voldemort and the constant threat of death around him, but it was more than that.

Just in the past year had had started having wet-dreams, but he could never remember what they were about. He didn't remember any girls or boys. But he did remember the wet-dreams he had of Malfoy. He wanted to blame the Pond of Desires, but couldn't. It seemed that the Pond knew his deep inner desires—desires that he didn't even know about. It had known that he was attracted to boys and not girls, somehow, and that was most likely why he and Malfoy had kissed.

Still…even if he was gay, why would he have kissed Malfoy? They didn't like one another. And more importantly, why would Malfoy have kissed him back? Was Malfoy gay as well? From what the blond had bragged to him, he said he had been with many girls. There wasn't solid proof that he had shagged every girl he was with, but he knew for a fact there was at least one because Malfoy had told him that an older girl claimed the blond was the best shag of her life. Harry rolled his eyes; maybe the blond was exaggerating just to appear better than him.

Either way, he was quite certain Malfoy _was_ more experienced than he was. But whether or not the blond was more interested in blokes than girls was a mystery. Maybe Malfoy just shagged anyone that was willing. That didn't necessarily mean he was gay. And if Malfoy was, there was no way he would ever admit it—at least not willingly. Sighing, Harry closed his eyes.

_There was a gorgeous lake that glimmered under the sun that was low in the horizon. Harry noticed it looked similar to the lake that he and Malfoy bathed in. However, it was completely surrounded by tall trees so Harry couldn't see beyond them. All he could see was the lake. He was standing at the edge of it looking down into the deep water. _

"_Harry…"_

_A voice echoed in the area and he looked around. The voice whispered again and Harry looked down in the water. He saw something moving beneath the surface. He knew he wasn't a great swimmer so he was hesitant to go into the water. Sitting down, Harry kept hold of the grass as he slipped into the water. Suddenly, something pulled him under. Harry thrashed but wasn't strong enough to break free. He was dragged under the water, falling deeper and deeper. He was losing air quickly and he tilted his head back looking up at the surface. _

_Despite his panic, Harry noticed that it was quite beautiful under water. The dim rays of the sun cascaded through the water, illuminating the bright blue water. Far beneath the surface, the water all around was glimmering—almost like he was in a crystal cave. The sun's reflection shone down around him and surprisingly relaxed him. A figure suddenly appeared in front of him. And Harry tried swimming away but was shocked when the figure pushed some Gillyweed toward him. _

_Hesitantly, Harry took the Gillyweed and pushed it into his mouth, trying to avoid getting water inside. He chewed and swallowed and waited, feeling the gills appear at the sides of his neck. Although it was strange…when he touched his neck the gills weren't there, but he could breathe underwater. And his feet weren't webbed either. _

_Harry turned and saw the figure approaching him. He didn't try to swim away this time and waited until the figure came beneath the rays of sunlight beneath the water. Harry's eyes widened with shock when he saw Malfoy's blond hair illuminated in the light as he swam toward him. The blond had his ripped jeans on and no shirt. _

"_Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed, surprised that his voice sounded normal only it echoed all around them. _

"_I see you heard me calling," he drawled, swimming closer. _

"_What are you doing? Why did you pull me under?" Harry asked, watching him suspiciously. _

_Malfoy swam up close to him and Harry watched as his strands of hair floated elegantly around his face. _

"_Stop asking so many questions Potter. What do you think of this place?"_

_Harry managed to tear his eyes from the blond and looked around. The bottom of the lake, although a distance beneath them, had smooth golden sand on the bottom that glimmered whenever the sun touched it. And all around them the water seemed endless. And the sun made it so being under water felt and looked like a bright, peaceful paradise. _

"_It's nice," Harry said. _

"_Of course it is. It's private and beautiful. And you should see the colors when the sun sets."_

_Harry glanced at him curiously. "What happens when it becomes night?"_

"_That's the best part," Malfoy smirked, raising an eyebrow. "The beautiful moon-dancers and luna-fish come out. The moon-dancers light up the surface of the water and the luna-fish can glow in the dark so they light up beneath the water. It's just as beautiful only with a bright pearl light instead of the sunlight."_

_Harry nodded, although it was difficult under water. "Why did you call me down here?"_

"_We need to talk," he said, swimming past him and brushing up against Harry's bare back. _

_He hadn't even noticed he was only wearing his boxers. It seemed that happened a lot. _

"_Where are my clothes?"_

"_You don't need them," Malfoy said, waving his wand. _

_The water glimmered around them and Harry saw beautiful crystal-like flakes come up from the bottom making the entire scene more ethereal. Then suddenly hands were on his waist and Harry felt a mouth on his neck. _

"_Malfoy, stop!" Harry exclaimed, trying to pull away. _

"_Why?"_

_Harry turned to face him, wading with his arms as he did so. He saw Malfoy's silver-blue eyes reflect the crystals that floated around them. His expression was calm and passive, so unlike the real Malfoy. _

"_This isn't real," Harry said softly. _

_Malfoy swam closer until their noses were brushing. His eyes gleamed into Harry's and Harry couldn't help but glance down at Malfoy's lips before looking back up into his eyes. _

_Malfoy stared at him evenly. "Do you want it to be?"_

"_I…I know this is a dream. You hate me," Harry said finally. _

"_Dreams don't make it any less real," Malfoy said, sounding oddly like Dumbledore. "Even if this isn't really happening, it is in your mind. Sometimes the subconscious takes control in order to help a witch or wizard think through their dilemmas or problems."_

"_So, I…I'm dreaming of you because I'm worried that I'm gay, right?"_

_Malfoy smiled and then snaked his arms around him. He slowly pressed his lips to Harry's. It was strange feeling it under water, even though it was only a dream. _

"_You shouldn't be afraid," Malfoy whispered as their lips pulled apart. "Just like you learned not to be afraid of your powers. This is no different."_

"_Why do you sound so much like Dumbledore now?" Harry asked, staring at him. _

"_I have no set name or character," Malfoy said. "I'm merely in your subconscious. Every witch and wizard has a magical connection with their wands, which provides automatic magic inside their bodies, like yours. When muggles have trouble sleeping because they are anxious or worried or are having an inner conflict, they have dreams as well. But much of the time, because they don't have magic to help, their dreams are muddled, or bizarre and confusing to translate. And a lot of times they forget their dreams, but witches and wizards have a better opportunity to understand themselves and to work through their problems. You may not realize it, but during the years you fought Voldemort you did dream things that weren't premonitions or glimpses into Voldemort's mind—they were dreams that your subconscious was sending you to give you clues or help in figuring out where you needed to go."_

"_I guess I understand," Harry said, moving closer. "We had sex again, you know."_

_The dream-Malfoy just smiled. "Are you really afraid of being gay, Harry? Or are you more afraid that you might be attracted to me?"_

"_I don't know. Help me understand. How did this happen? Why did we have sex? Why is this all happening?"_

"_I can't answer those, Harry, only you can. But sometimes it doesn't matter how things come about or why you're suddenly thrust into a situation. Instead of worrying about how you got there, just focus on figuring out what to do now that you're there. You're obviously having these dreams for a reason. And I think you already know the answer."_

_Harry stared at him and swallowed. "I like you…I like you, but I don't like you. You're attractive and…the sex felt good, but you…you're always so cold and distant and selfish and arrogant."_

_Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and you're perfect?"_

"_No, but…I don't understand. I've saved your life three times now and you…you don't seem to change."_

"_Is that really true? You used that Legilmency potion and felt something different," Malfoy said matter-of-factly. _

_Harry was about to ask how he knew, but then realized that was a stupid question. "Yeah…I did feel that you were grateful when I saved you from the dragon, but it's hard to get readings off of you. And you said something about not wanting me to know what happened with your parents one night."_

"_Those are probably clues," Malfoy answered. "People act the way they do for a reason. You have to understand their upbringing, their life experiences, their pain…you have to understand it all if you want those questions answered."_

"_But you would never talk to me about your life."_

"_Maybe some day I will," Malfoy said. "Stop worrying about the past and focus on the present. Already so much has changed and you're not aware of it. Would I ever have stopped to care to ask you about your life, even if it sounds like taunting?"_

"_Well, no…you have been quite annoying lately. And we've been spending much more time together than we ever did at Hogwarts."_

"_There's a start," Malfoy said, reaching out a hand. _

_Harry hesitated, but reached out his own and grasped the blond's hand. Malfoy pulled him until their bodies were flush together. Harry bent down and kissed Malfoy's lips. _

"_Will you show me your tattoo?" Harry asked. _

_Malfoy just smiled. "Some day. But for right now, do you want to know how it feels to have sex under water?"_

_Harry's entire stomach flipped in excitement and Malfoy leaned down toward his lips. _

Opening his eyes, Harry stared up at the ceiling. He sat up and thought about what he had just dreamed. It was quite obvious now. He was definitely more attracted to blokes and it seemed that he was attracted to Malfoy. So the Pond had been right…it had acted on Harry's inner and perhaps subtle attraction to the blond. But why had Malfoy responded? Did the blond find him attractive at all? He tried to stop himself, but a part of him wanted the dream to be reality. Malfoy was so much easier to talk to in his dream. And from the wet-dreams previously and from the ending of his current dream, he knew he had a physical attraction to the blond. But he wasn't sure if was anything more than that.

"I can't believe I'm attracted to him," Harry whispered aloud. "I just wish I knew more of what was going on in Malfoy's head."

It would be cruel of him to try and find another Legilmency potion to read Malfoy's mind. He wanted the blond to talk to him like he had in his dream. But that seemed like an impossible wish. Still, he had saved Malfoy's life again. Perhaps he could use it to his advantage to subtly get to know the blond more. And maybe he would eventually get the answers he desired.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

_**THANK YOU EVERYONE! I'm sorry I don't have individual reviews this time around! But don't worry, you will soon discover who is behind the evil portkey and of course the blossoming of Harry and Draco's relationship! Sorry for the delay, but I'll update asap!**_


	15. The Culprit Unveiled

**Pure Rhapsody**

**Chapter 14:**** The Culprit Unveiled**

After several days of watching Malfoy avoid him, Harry decided if he ever wanted answers he'd have to take action. And he found an opportunity after class. While the class was packing up and leaving and the professor was organizing papers, Harry stood up from his desk.

"Malfoy, can I see you for a second?"

The blond whirled around, completely taken aback, but with the professor so close Malfoy had no choice but to approach him. His hand was clenched by his side but he came up to the desk, staring intensely.

"What, Potter?" he hissed quietly.

Harry just stared at him calmly. "We need to talk."

"I don't think so," Malfoy drawled quietly.

"Considering that I saved your life again, if you don't want to be in my debt I'd suggest you come to my room after dinner tonight," Harry said, watching as Malfoy's eyes narrowed.

"Fine," Malfoy said through a clenched jaw. Then he turned around and walked out of the room.

Harry was determined to find some answers. He now understood that he was attracted to Malfoy and he needed to know if the blond truly hated him or if there was perhaps a possibility that they didn't have to fight so much…

Dinner came but it passed by slowly. Harry was thinking about what he would say to the blond. He left dinner early in order to get to his room first. He left his dark jeans and black t-shirt on. Only moments later a harsh knock came at his door. Harry opened his door magically so he wouldn't have to get too close and stood in the middle of his room. Malfoy walked in and stared at him harshly. Then the blond waved his wand and the door shut.

"What do you want Potter?" Malfoy spat out.

Harry took a few steps forward and concentrated on him. He felt confusion but nothing specific radiating from the blond.

"What the hell is your problem Malfoy?" Harry asked coolly.

"I should be asking you that! Just spit out whatever you have to say and—"

"That's so pathetic," Harry blurted out.

Malfoy's expression darkened and Harry saw his fingers tighten around his wand.

"_What_ Potter? Your attempts to make excuses?"

"No, you!" Harry snapped. "You're such a spoiled brat! Everything always has to be your way! And even when people do something nice it doesn't matter! Nothing matters to you but your own selfish opinion! You're just like your parents!"

He didn't know where it had come from, but the words fell out of his mouth with ease. Malfoy's hands were trembling and Harry could feel his anger boiling but he kept his firm stare.

"You think I'm a spoiled brat!" Malfoy bellowed angrily, finally losing his temper.

Harry quickly cast a silencing charm and backed away as the blond approached.

"What about _you_ Potter? Perfect, heroic Potter! The boy who everyone loves and adores because he's so powerful! Everyone always kisses your arse, don't they? Or hadn't you noticed? Were you too busy swimming in the attention? All the time people are talking about the famous Harry Potter and how great he is! You get everything! All you have to do is just show your scar and everyone bows down!"

"That's not true!" Harry retorted, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Oh, it's not?" Malfoy challenged, glaring at him. "You don't notice the papers always talking about you or people always coming up to shake your hand or get an autograph? Even you're not that blind, Potter!"

"I told you I'm not blind at all anymore! And do you think I like that attention?" Harry yelled, clenching his fists. "Do you know what hell I've been through?"

"Oh right, such hell to have people kiss your arse all the time and praise you!" Malfoy shouted, shaking with rage.

Harry was about to retort but he stopped himself. It seemed that Malfoy had been holding in his emotions for so long. Instead of arguing, he remained silent to let the blond rant. Perhaps this was what he had been waiting for.

"Hogwarts was supposed to be _my_ refuge, but then you had to show up!" Malfoy suddenly blurted out. "My family has always been feared and my friends have always been chosen for me by my parents and I couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts and show people how smart I was and how great I was at magic! But no matter how hard I worked it was never good enough! It never amounted to what the famous Harry Potter could do, could it?

"You were the first one selected on the Quidditch team! That was talked about forever! And then when I finally got onto the team you got a fabulous broom! You were _always_ in the spotlight and everyone always adored you because you never 'bragged like a Slytherin'! And my parents were never satisfied with my grades or results because I didn't prove I was better than you! And they reminded me of that every day!"

"I'm sorry your parents were cruel, Malfoy! But I didn't ask for the fame or attention! I had to bring back Cedric's dead body, do you remember that?"

Malfoy was breathing heavily and he just stared at him. Harry could feel uncertainty coming from him.

"I've had to fight Voldemort basically every year at Hogwarts! Every time people praised me it didn't make me happy, it made me more stressed! Everyone was only praising me because they wanted a hero! They wanted to make me into this…supernatural being, like an extra-powerful Merlin or something!" Harry exclaimed, gesturing with his hands. "I was forced with the burden of supposedly 'saving the world' because no one else wanted to stand up to Voldemort! _I_ had to do it and I didn't want to! My grades were slipping because I was trying so hard to survive!"

Harry took in a deep breath and felt his anger die down. "You have no idea what it's like to have people constantly after your life."

"Oh, I don't?" Malfoy finally spoke up, his voice hoarse from having shouted. "My father threatened me constantly! He told me that if I didn't do better than you at Quidditch, or in school—if I didn't show-you-up then he had no use for me! My Aunt Bella used the Cruciatus curse on me twice and my parents didn't even blink an eye!"

Malfoy's words rang in the air and Harry stared at him with shock. "She…why?"

"Because I'm not better than you! Because I failed at winning Quidditch however many times over! Because I failed at getting better grades than you! And because I failed twice in killing Dum…," Malfoy suddenly trailed off, his eyes widening.

The blond didn't say anything for a minute and Harry remained at a loss for words.

"My parents thought she was right—that I needed to be punished. That maybe…maybe if I was punished enough I would suddenly become the greatest student at Hogwarts!" Malfoy exclaimed hoarsely. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be hated by your parents? Or to be tortured by your own family?"

"Yes," Harry said and Malfoy stared at him in surprise. "I was forced to live with my muggle relatives when my parents died and they hated magic. They hated magic so much and hated me that they starved me and practically worked me to death every day! I didn't even get a proper bed to sleep on until I was a teenager! And they reminded me every day about how horrible my parents were and how they deserved to die!"

Malfoy stared at him silently and Harry stared back. He could sense that Malfoy's anger had almost completely faded. There was now an awkward silence between them. It was so strange that they had known each other for years but yet never knew what the other had gone through. As Harry's breathing calmed and he kept his gaze on Malfoy, he thought about his dream—about being under water with the dream-Malfoy and about needing to know why Malfoy hated him so much.

The blond finally unclenched his fist and his expression turned back to one of anger.

"But you still got everything. You could have anything you desired," Malfoy said quietly, his tone still firm.

Harry shook his head. "No, Malfoy, I can't. Do you know why? Because it's not attention, fame, clothes or riches that I desire," he said as Malfoy blinked, gazing at him intensely. "My parents left me a fortune so I have plenty of money. My name is everywhere and everyone knows my tragic story, so I have fame. And everyone believes I'm somehow more evolved in magic than anyone else because I managed to defeat Voldemort. But…all I've ever wanted was…friends that I could count on, for a start. Ron and Hermione and even Luna and Neville and all of them…they're great. But sometimes they just don't understand. And I know that it's impossible for anyone to understand me, because not many people have gone through what I have and lived. And the one thing that I've always desired more than anything is a family," Harry said.

He could feel Malfoy's surprise and the blond's anger seemed to fade from his face, but he remained silent.

"It's because I've never had a family—not one that loved me anyway. I've wanted to know what it's like to have parents—to grow up in a normal family where you wake up, have breakfast with your parents, learn everything from them and enjoy holidays and private moments with them. That's all I ever wanted. And there was a time that I came close to having something like that," Harry said quietly, averting his gaze briefly. "My Godfather and I were close. And he told me that when his name was cleared he'd adopt me," Harry explained as Malfoy stared at him.

"But…," Harry looked up at him, "he was killed by your Aunt Bella before that could happen. His name was cleared, but he was already dead so it didn't matter. You say I have everything and that I could get anything I desire, but I don't want what everyone thinks I want. I want to be normal—or at least a typical wizard living with his family and going to Hogwarts. But that will never happen. I will never get what I desire, Malfoy. Never."

A thump came at the door and Harry's head jerked toward it. Malfoy too inclined his neck to glance at it. The two of them remained silent even when Malfoy looked back at him. Harry approached the door and opened it. He heard the hissing before he saw the serpent slither into his room. Harry jumped out of the way and pointed his wand at it.

"It's just a bloody snake, Potter," Malfoy said, staring down at it.

Harry watched as the snake stopped in the middle of the room and turned around, hissing again. Slowly, he took a few steps forward until he was standing next to Malfoy.

"I've never known a snake to do that," Harry said, glancing at the blond.

"As if you know everything," the blond drawled.

Harry glanced at the snake and licked his lips. Bending down a little he stared at the serpent and opened his mouth.

"_Who are you?" _he hissed in Parseltongue.

The snake bobbed his head but didn't reply. Malfoy was staring at him and Harry stood back up.

"It's not answering," he said.

"So what?" Malfoy drawled again. "Look, Potter, our talk is—"

"Shh!" Harry exclaimed, putting up a hand as he glanced at the snake. "It's saying something."

Malfoy's eyebrows furrowed but surprisingly he gazed back down at the snake. Harry squinted and bent down, listening intently.

"_Must…," _the snake hissed quietly. _"Need help."_

"It says it needs help," Harry said.

He bent down and held out his hand. The snake hesitated but slithered over to him. It kept hissing the same thing as it neared. It came quickly and Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. He jumped up before the snake touched him and lashed out a hand to shove Malfoy back.

"Potter! What the bloody—" Malfoy exclaimed.

"It's a trap!" Harry said. "It's not a real snake! That's why it's having trouble speaking!"

Malfoy's eyes widened. "_What_ does that mean, Potter?"

The snake hissed and began circling the two of them, sliding against the wood floor. Harry pointed his wand at it but realized too late what was happening. The floor was beginning to smoke and there was a line engraved in the floor which surrounded them.

"It's trying to trap us!" Harry exclaimed.

Malfoy pointed his wand at the snake even as Harry felt the blond's panic. "_Protego_!" he exclaimed.

The hex went toward the snake but was stopped by an invisible barrier. Malfoy tried to step backward but he hissed in pain as something scorched his back. Harry reached out his hand and felt his skin burn.

"Reviosa!" Harry exclaimed.

His spell hit the air and slowly the air around them began to sizzle. Harry's spell revealed the blue vapor that had surrounded them. It was emitting from the floor where the serpent had made a circle around them.

"What the hell is this?" Malfoy shouted.

Their backs bumped together as they stared at the blue vapor with their wands out.

"I don't know! I've never seen anything like it!" Harry exclaimed.

He could sense Malfoy's fear and he could feel his own heart hammering loudly in his chest. The blue vapor became thicker until they couldn't see the room any longer. There wasn't much space for them to move and every time they tried to get out of the circle—past the blue vapor—they were burned, as if their skin was on fire even though there were no scorch marks left behind.

Harry felt his body being lifted up in the air. He heard Malfoy's gasp and he opened his mouth, but it was as if the blue vapor was suffocating him. He tried to breathe, but it felt as though his chest was being crushed down upon. And suddenly the feeling vanished and Harry felt his body fall. It was so unexpected that he couldn't avoid slamming onto the ground. Even as he winced, he heard a groan that wasn't his. Turning carefully to avoid straining his injured arm, Harry saw Malfoy lying beside him with scraps on his arms. One was on his cheek and it was bleeding a tiny bit.

"Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed, reaching out to gently grasp the other boy's shoulder.

Malfoy groaned with pain and then slowly turned over. "Potter…what…where are we?"

He gazed down into Malfoy's face and saw the blond stare back up at him. There was fear, confusion and uncertainty radiating from Malfoy's expression.

"I don't know," Harry said, looking around. "It seems like we're in a forest of some sort. Wait…I know this place. It's the woods nearby the Ministry."

Harry stood up and examined the tall drooping trees that surrounded them. They were lucky that they had landed in a small clearing otherwise it could've been a lot more painful.

"Why would we be by the Ministry?" Malfoy asked quietly, searching the area with his eyes.

"Expelliarmus!"

Harry and Malfoy's wands flew from their hands into the outstretched hand of the figure walking toward them. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and Harry stepped backward. Malfoy too looked frightened and stepped back some. Out from the trees came a familiar face.

"Percy!" Harry shouted in astonishment.

Percy Weasley stood in front of them pointing his wand toward them. His hair was disheveled and his clothes and body looked filthy as if he hadn't had a shower in weeks. His eyes were puffy with dark circles under them and wide.

"_You_ sent me the letter?" Harry exclaimed, feeling his heart skip a beat.

"Yes," Percy said nonchalantly. "Come with me quietly or die."

"What do you want from me?"

"No questions. Just follow me."

There was something off about him. In fact, he hadn't even seemed to care about Malfoy being there nor did he seem shocked. Harry stared at his wide, unblinking eyes.

"Percy, what's wrong with you? Are you under the Imperius?"

"I said no questions," Percy retorted calmly. "I serve only my master and he wants to see you."

Harry's gaze wavered to Malfoy who just stared back at him in shock. He knew the blond was concerned that Percy was referring to his father and Harry couldn't help but think the same thing.

"Walk," Percy ordered.

Having no choice, Harry and Malfoy reluctantly turned around and walked straight ahead. Percy was taking them through the woods, but not toward the Ministry entrance. Rather, he was leading them around the Ministry building and deeper into the woods.

"Stop here," Percy said finally.

They stopped by a large decaying oak tree and Harry turned around. "Percy, listen to me. Your family has been worried sick about you. They were afraid you had died. Where have you been all this time?"

"With my master. I serve only him," Percy said, unblinking.

"He's lost it," Malfoy muttered.

"Or he's being controlled," Harry whispered back.

He and Malfoy were standing less than a foot apart, side-by-side. They were both disarmed but then again there was the two of them against Percy, unless Percy's so-called "master" decided to show. Harry had no doubt that the person would. It felt like they had been led into a trap. Obviously, the snake had been conjured to come into Harry's room late at night when everyone else was asleep and basically kidnap him so no body would ever know what happened to him. He had to admit it was fairly clever—like something Voldemort might try to do, only he was certain Voldemort wouldn't have been so careless as to take Malfoy along for the ride.

"We should overtake him now, Malfoy, before this other person shows up," Harry whispered.

The blond nodded in agreement. "How?"

"I'll distract him and you sneak up behind him," Harry said, glancing at him.

Malfoy nodded but before either of them could move rope appeared out of no where and both of them were bound by separate ropes. Malfoy almost tripped and fell but he caught himself in time. Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise and he knew that person was already there.

"Show yourself!" Harry exclaimed angrily, tensing reflexively.

"Always putting on such a brave act, aren't we?" a voice questioned from somewhere in the trees.

It was familiar…very familiar. The face that belonged to the voice was somewhere in his mind, but Harry was drawing a sudden blank. He knew that voice! Soft footsteps came closer and Harry froze as he saw a figure coming up behind Percy. It was a robed figure—the blue velvet robe was hooded so that they couldn't see a face.

"Who are you?" Harry demanded.

"Here master," Percy said passively as he handed over Malfoy and Harry's wands.

"Good work," he said. "Unfortunately, I didn't expect any stragglers to come with him."

Harry felt Malfoy tense and knew that he was afraid that he would be killed off to get him out of the way.

"Are you a Death Eater?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Heavens no," the figure replied. "But I do have some…unsettled business with you, Potter. Your friend I have no need for."

"Don't hurt him," Harry said and he felt Malfoy jerk his head toward him in surprise.

"I'm not planning to. I'll erase his memory of this event when I'm through with you," he replied.

Harry racked his brain, trying to remember a face that belonged with that voice. He knew he had heard it recently. It wasn't Lucius Malfoy after all nor was it another Death Eater, according to what the figure claimed. However, Harry was certain that the name was on the tip of his tongue…

"If you're not a Death Eater, then why have you gone through all this trouble to get me?"

"That's not of your concern, Potter. Right now I need you to tell me everything you know about Time Travel."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Time Travel? Why are you asking me?"

"Because I know you've illegally used it before. I've overheard ex-Order members bragging about you and how you used to break the rules quite frequently. And one of them said they remember Dumbledore telling them how you had to go back in time to save somebody's life. I need you to tell me how you did that."

"I…I used a Time Turner, but I don't have it anymore. It had been Dumbledore's and he got rid of it, I believe," Harry replied. He was completely baffled by this person. Why the hell did they want to time travel? And why were they being so secretive if they just needed his help?

"Why have you gone through all this trouble, nearly killing me by sending me to that place with the dragon, if all you needed was my help?"

"I don't need your help, Potter! But you're right…I was hoping you'd perish, which was why I chose that exact location where a nest of hungry dragons lived. But then after your miraculous escape, I realized that I needed something more definite. And actually, I'm glad you didn't die because I do need information from you, which is why I've brought you here. These woods are incredibly dense because of all the gremlins and other creatures that build nests. And those creatures' magic makes a wonderful…sound-proof area, if you understand my meaning. All I need you alive for is to tell me how to travel back in time to a certain year, that's all."

"I don't understand why you need that information. And why do you want to kill me? What have I done to you?" Harry asked.

"_What_ have you done to me? You've taken my pride and joy that's what!" the figure bellowed. "I had the future all planned out—the triumphs, the fame, everything and then you came along and ruined it!"

His voice echoed around them and Harry's memory flashed back to the Ministry when Malfoy had been taken away for suspicion of murder. Harry's throat constricted and his eyes widened considerably.

"Mr. Diggory?"

The figure tensed but slowly he pulled down the hood. Amos Diggory stared at him with anger etched into his features. His hair was almost completely gray and he looked a bit off-color, but it was definitely him.

"Why are you doing this? Why do you keep blaming me for Cedric's death?" Harry exclaimed.

"Because it's your fault!" he bellowed. "My son was everything to me! He was the envy of all my friends because he was so handsome, brilliant and an excellent Quidditch player! He was going to be famous one day—I was going to be the father of a famous boy and then here comes the famous Harry Potter! You didn't have anywhere near the looks or the talent as my son back then. And yet everyone praised you! Even though it was illegal for you to be in the Triwizard Tournament, _you_ still got away with it! And then…then you brought back my son's dead body while there was hardly a scratch on you!"

"I tried to save him!" Harry exclaimed. "I told him to run!"

"Well it wasn't good enough!" Amos shouted, pointing his wand toward Harry's face.

Swallowing, Harry took in a breath. "Do you really think that by killing me it'll take the pain away? Or that it'll bring your son back?"

"Yes, actually," Amos said. "You see, Potter, I'm going to go back in time to the day of the Triwizard Tournament—the day my son died. And I'll make sure that he doesn't die. You will be the one to touch that trophy, not him and therefore you will be the only one taken away. And my son will emerge victorious and very much alive!"

"You can't do that! It's not possible, not even with the Time Turner! He's already dead and you can't resurrect the dead! All you can do is turn them into Inferi and control them, but you can't bring them back! And by going back that far, even if there was a way, you could change history. I might not be so lucky the next time and if I die who will destroy Voldemort when the war happens?" Harry countered angrily.

"I'm sure we'll be able to do something," Amos retorted, narrowing his eyes. "After all, I'll have future knowledge so I can prevent things from happening. I might even be the one to tell the Ministry how to destroy the Dark Lord and therefore _I'd_ become the hero, not you!"

"I'm not a hero! I was just trying to survive!" Harry shouted.

"I don't care for your excuses," Amos exclaimed, his eyes wide and crazed-looking. "I know you know a way to go back in time. If you don't tell me I'll torture it out of you! Or perhaps…," he said, moving to aim his wand toward Malfoy, who had remained silent throughout their argument, "I'll torture your friend till you start talking."

Malfoy tensed and his eyes widened. "You said you weren't going to hurt me."

"Yes, well, I lied. I'll do whatever it takes to get the information I need," Amos said coldly. "So what'll it be Potter?"

Harry was thinking as fast as he could. It seemed that Amos didn't recognize Malfoy, which was a good thing otherwise he might decide to kill him. Whatever Malfoy had wished on the Scale worked better than expected. Suddenly, Harry's eyes widened. That gave him an idea. And it seemed that it was his, and Malfoy's, only chance to get out alive. He didn't want to do it, but Amos was giving him no choice.

"There…there is a way," Harry said quietly, casting his eyes downward.

"What? And don't lie, Potter!" Amos exclaimed.

Harry shook his head. "It's the only way, but…you'd have to be crazy to do it! It could have unforeseen consequences!"

"I don't care, just tell me!" Amos said, taking a few steps closer.

Hesitating briefly, Harry swallowed. "There's an item called the legendary Scale from the battle between Merlin and an ice dragon," he began. Malfoy's head jerked toward him and he could feel the blond's shock.

"That's just a myth!" Amos roared.

"It's not…I know…I know where the Scale is. The Minister was looking for it too before he died. It's because he knew that Voldemort was in search of it and the Minister didn't want him to get to it first because then we'd all be doomed for sure. But you can make one wish upon it. It could take you back however far into the past you want to go, but once the wish is done it can't be reversed and as I said it could have unseen consequences because no body has used the Scale's wish. Only Merlin knew its powers because he was the only one with the knowledge of what the ice dragon was capable of, especially after the Scale was touched by Excalibur's powers."

Amos stared at him with a grim expression. Harry was afraid that he might not believe him. The man certainly looked skeptical.

"And you supposedly know where this is Potter? If that's true, how come you didn't claim it for yourself?"

"Because, I told you that you'd have to be crazy to get to it! And besides…it's protected by vampires. They wanted my life in exchange for it so I gave up on it. Besides, I really didn't need the Scale. And neither do you, so _please_ rethink this!" Harry begged.

"No! You'll take me to where this legendary Scale is Potter. And as long as it's really there I won't kill either of you two."

Harry didn't mention the fact that by going back in time he'd probably set up Harry's death anyway, but that wasn't necessary. He just nodded grimly and averted his gaze to make it look like he had given up. Malfoy knew he was lying and Harry could sense his concern about it, but Harry knew Amos didn't know anything about it. Only Malfoy and he knew that the Scale had already been used and as long as Amos didn't suspect that he was lying, he wouldn't think to question him about that. He just hoped that everything didn't backfire when they reached the vampires.

Amos forced Harry and Malfoy to lead the way. Amos and Percy had their wands pointed at them. Percy was still walking like a zombie.

"What did you do to Percy?" Harry asked, hoping to bide them some time.

"I didn't do anything! The useless boy was already screwed up! No doubt by the Dark Lord or some Death Eater."

"So you're just taking advantage of that, are you? You're making him attack me against his own will?"

"He was wandering around aimlessly when I found him! Now shut-up and keep walking, Potter! How much further is it?"

"It's a long ways from here," Harry said.

"We'll have to make a Portkey then!" Amos grumbled impatiently.

He took out a magical watch from his pocket and forced it in front of Harry's face. Amos still kept his wand pointed at him.

"The location," he demanded.

Harry gazed up at him into his cold, unforgiving eyes. Once Harry told him the location Amos programmed the Porkey to take them there. He forced Harry and Malfoy to touch it at the same time he and Percy did. They appeared in the woods just by the entrance to Kald's lair. They walked inside, Harry and Malfoy in the lead, and instantly Harry felt a chill. As they walked in further, Harry could sense they were not alone. They stopped finally and Amos looked around. Before he could say anything, however, Harry heard rustling and gazed up to see vampires swarming around them.

"I demand to see your leader!" Amos bellowed, pointing his wand at all of them as he moved in a circle.

"You demand?" Kald's cold voice rang out. "This is our territory."

Amos wheeled around to see Kald approaching him through the crowd. The vampire leader instantly spotted Harry and his eyes dilated. Kald noticed the binds around Harry and Malfoy and then he gazed back at Amos.

"Harry Potter claims that you are protecting this legendary Merlin's Scale," Amos said, keeping his wand pointed at the vampire as Percy kept his wand pointed toward Harry and Malfoy.

Harry glanced up at the vampire and he saw the vampire's eyes narrow. Harry quickly glanced at the magical pool of water nearby and then back at Kald. He did it once more, hoping that Kald would get the message. The vampire stared at him for several seconds longer before he gazed back at Amos.

"The Merlin's Scale is a precious commodity. There is nothing in the world like it," Kald hissed quietly.

Amos' eyes widened and he stepped closer. "So…Harry Potter was telling the truth? The Scale is here?"

The vampire smiled widely, bearing his fangs. "Yes," he hissed. "But I can't just give it to you…I need payment."

"Anything!" Amos exclaimed. "Hold on. Potter says that when he tried to get the Scale you wanted his life in exchange for it."

The vampire glanced at Harry again, but Amos didn't notice the exchange. "Instead of my blood, I'll gladly hand you Harry Potter, his friend there and him," he said, pointing to Percy. "Three lives full of blood just for you."

Kald gazed at all three of them and then smiled widely. "Very well, I accept…but only because Harry Potter is among them. I've been offered lives many a times before, but this time I'll make an exception," he hissed.

Harry swallowed, thinking that perhaps his plan wasn't going exactly as he hoped. With a wave of his wand, Amos flung Harry and Malfoy at Kald's feet and then disarmed Percy before doing the same to him. Kald stared down at them and his teeth gleamed against the glow the magical water.

"This way," he said, gesturing with his hand.

Amos excitedly followed him, although he kept his wand out just in case. Kald led him to the water and pointed at it.

"Merlin hid the Scale at the bottom of this pond. It's protected by the magical water, which allows its power to be undetected. It has been buried at the very center about a foot beneath the pond's bottom. Once uncovered it will need to be brought to the surface. And once you hold it, its powers will consume you. You will need to have a wish planned out in your mind otherwise the first thing you think of will automatically come true and it cannot be reversed."

"I understand completely. I already know my wish," Amos said in excitement. "How deep is this pond?"

"Only fifty feet deep. And no creatures dwell in it because all can sense the power of the Scale and do not dare touch these waters."

"And you protect it? Why haven't you used it?" Amos asked, taking off his velvet-blue robe.

"The undead cannot use wizard magic," Kald explained coolly. "And besides that I knew Merlin well and respected him a great deal. He wouldn't want just anyone to have it…," he hissed as his eyes gleamed over at Harry.

"Don't worry," Amos said, not even paying attention. "I have a wish that will make everything for the better. Thank you so much! I highly respect vampires and I do hope you'll savor the blood of Harry Potter! He was hard to capture."

Kald bowed his head slightly, grinning widely. Amos stood at the shore of the pond and all the vampires watched. Harry's heart was racing and he was sure at any moment Amos would turn around and change his mind. He kept telling himself it had to be done. With one leap, Amos dived into the water. The pond gurgled and the surface bubbled where Amos had dived in. There was no scream. Seconds later, the entire pond turned as red as blood. Even moments later as Harry, Malfoy and the vampires stared at the pond, Amos did not resurface.

Turning around elegantly, Kald glided toward them. "He has been disintegrated," he hissed. "I take it this was all your doing Harry Potter."

"Yes, I'm terribly sorry, Kald," Harry spoke up. "He was going to kill me and Malfoy. He wanted to know how to go back in time in order to prevent his son from dying. I figured since the Scale had already been used…"

Kald's lips curled upward in a wide smirk. "Yes, I see Harry Potter."

The vampire's eyes then gazed down at Malfoy, who shivered under the scrutiny. "Would this be the Draco boy that you gave the Scale to?"

Harry felt Malfoy's shock and surprise and he nodded. "Yeah."

Kald grinned down at Malfoy and bent down toward the blond's face. "I do hope your wish was worth it. There is and probably never will be anything like it again. You're fortunate to have Harry Potter as a friend."

Malfoy nodded since he was too afraid to talk. Harry could sense a wave of emotion come from the blond. It felt like a mixture of gratitude and wonder and it was directed at Harry. Kald bent down and grasped the rope binding Malfoy. He opened his mouth, revealing his fangs in all their glory and bit the rope. It easily broke, now that the caster was dead. And he did the same thing for Harry. Once he was able to stand, Harry smiled and held out his hand toward Kald.

"Thanks again, Kald. I'm really sorry to have troubled you."

Grinning, Kald took Harry's hand and shook it. "I very well couldn't let you die, Harry Potter. Although it was quite tempting," he said, running a cold finger down Harry's neck.

Malfoy watched entranced and Harry could feel the blond's embarrassment at watching the intimate contact. Kald finally released his hand and Harry went over to Amos' robe, which was still lying discarded on the ground. He took out his and Malfoy's wands and tossed the blond his. Then he lifted up the robe and approached Kald.

"You should keep this, as a momento," Harry smiled, holding it out to him. "It may be a simple wizard's robe, but it's very expensive and valuable in our world. I want you to have it."

The vampires all watched with wonder and some of them smiled and showed their fangs, revealing their delight. Kald grasped the soft robe and then flung it over his shoulders. It magically lengthened to accommodate his taller form. It made the vampire look even more powerful and the vampires all made noises of approval. Grinning with his fangs showing, Kald reached out a cold slender hand and grasped Harry's throat gently, directly under his chin. Forcing Harry's neck back, Kald leaned down until his cold nose was barely brushing against Harry's.

"You are a unique wizard, Harry Potter…one-of-a-kind," the vampire hissed quietly with affection.

Unexpectedly, the vampire bent down further and Harry felt a cold pair of lips on his own. Malfoy's shock was muddled with his own and out of reaction Harry kissed back softly. It was a gentle, non-passionate kiss. And it was quick, but it was still one filled with respect, admiration and some affection. Kald pulled away, his dark yellow eyes now a vibrant blue matching the color of the robe. Harry had heard that vampires' eyes could change color (although Hermione had believed that to be a myth), but never had he dreamed he'd witness it. Perhaps Kald's eyes only turned blue when he was in an exceptionally good mood, Harry wasn't sure. He didn't think about it any further, however, as Kald pulled away and released his hand from Harry's neck.

"You are free to go," Kald hissed, fingering his robe with delight.

The vampire turned away and the others followed their leader, grinning at the boys before they left. Harry helped Percy to his feet and realized he would have to levitate him back. He would need immediate medical attention, but thankfully he and Malfoy were alive. As Harry levitated Percy, he and Malfoy left the area and headed back the way they came. Harry used the Portkey that Amos had created, but because it worked only one way Harry had to charm it so it would take them back to the woods by the Ministry.

When they arrived back in the woods, safely with Percy still floating behind them, they began walking through it toward the Ministry. They were both silent and Harry could feel Malfoy's curiosity increasing.

"Were you and that vampire an item?" Malfoy asked, finally breaking the silence.

Harry's head turned quickly and he stared at the blond in shock. "What? No! _No_, we weren't an item. He…he just liked me I guess."

Harry shrugged and Malfoy stared at him and then raised an eyebrow. "That seemed more than liking you, Potter," the blond drawled in amusement.

"What are you saying?" Harry retorted in annoyance. "Look, it's not like I…slept with him to get that Scale. I just answered his questions correctly. The truth is that he really wanted to turn me into a vampire," he explained as Malfoy's eyes widened in surprise. "He told me I'd be a great asset to his clan."

Malfoy snorted and turned his gaze back ahead of them. "I can't imagine you being a vampire, Potter."

Smiling, Harry nodded. "Yeah, me either. I'm…you know…," Harry trailed off as Malfoy turned back to look at him. "I'm sorry I thought it was your dad. Looks like I was wrong."

Harry could feel Malfoy tense at the mention of his dad but surprisingly the blond didn't yell at him.

"Obviously you're not as smart as you thought," Malfoy drawled, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Harry just shrugged in agreement. "Guess not."

Malfoy was surprised that he didn't challenge him or take offense. "What did happen with Diggory?" he changed the subject.

Harry glanced at him and then looked away. "What do you mean? I think that pond is filled with some sort of magical acid…"

"Not him," Malfoy said. "Cedric Diggory. The whole school was buzzing about it after he came back dead. No body knew what really happened. Some people thought you were crazy for saying You-Know-Who did it."

"Yeah, I know," Harry said darkly. "The truth is that it was all a trap set for me. There was a Death Eater, posed as Mad-Eye Moody from using Polyjuice Potion. He was at Hogwarts, obviously, in order to keep an eye on me and make sure that my name got into the Goblet," he explained, as Malfoy watched and listened intently. "And on Voldemort's orders, the winning trophy was made into a portkey. And the Death Eater was subtly trying to help me to win the Triwizard Tournament so I would grab it and be taken straight to Voldemort. Well…it sort of worked. He did help me get to the trophy faster, but he didn't anticipate that I would save Cedric when we were attacked by a giant creature. My leg was injured and I told Cedric to take the trophy."

Harry paused and Malfoy continued to stare at him, waiting for him to continue. "Cedric was…grateful that I saved him. So he told me to take it. We argued for a bit and then we decided that we'd both take it. And then…the next thing I knew we were in a graveyard. We could hardly see it was so dark and my scar…," Harry said, reaching up to touch his scar and Malfoy's eyes followed and glanced at his scar. "It for some reason burns when Voldemort gets within five feet of me. It burned so bad that it blinded me and I couldn't get up. And I told Cedric to run and grab the trophy so he could escape, but he pulled out his wand intent on helping me. And then the killing curse came and Cedric was dead before I knew what happened."

He could feel Malfoy's emotions—there was a range but he thought he distinctly felt sympathy.

"I almost didn't make it because I wanted to take Cedric's body back with me. I didn't want to leave him there with Voldemort. He deserved a proper burial."

Malfoy was silent and Harry knew the blond didn't know what to say. He could feel Malfoy's inner conflict—or at least part of it. The blond obviously didn't want to say anything rude because it was a tender subject, but he didn't want to be too openly friendly either.

"Didn't you explain that to his parents?" Malfoy finally asked.

Harry sighed. "Yeah. His mum seemed to understand, but his dad…his dad was just so distraught that his golden boy had died. I honestly think that he cared more about what fame and honor he and his wife would get from Cedric than his son's life, but I don't doubt that he loved Cedric. Still…I think he was never the same, mentally I mean, after that. Mr. Diggory couldn't even look at me after that. And I even offered them the prize money I earned from winning the tournament, but they didn't want it. So I gave it to Ron's brothers," Harry said, shrugging.

Malfoy suddenly stopped and it took him a minute before he realized it. Harry halted too and turned around to stare at the blond who had averted his gaze.

"What's wrong?"

"Look, Potter…," Malfoy started, having trouble finding the words to say. "I didn't believe that you risked your life for me in order to get that Scale, even when I got those nasty pimples. I was convinced it was a scheme of yours to get me to be in your debt, or at least think I was."

Harry felt his stomach churn in anticipation, but he remained silent to let Malfoy continue.

"Obviously, you really did risk your life as you seem to do with everyone. You did it for Cedric, and you've probably done it for the Weasel and Granger."

"And Ginny," Harry added.

Malfoy finally gazed at him. "The point is that…I am…I…"

Malfoy was struggling and Harry raised both eyebrows. "Are you…thanking me?"

The blond crossed his arms in annoyance. "Yes, Potter! But don't take it the wrong way! I just don't want to be in your debt."

"I'm not taking anything the wrong way, Malfoy," Harry said gently. "I did it for you because I knew you were innocent. And while we aren't exactly friends, well…I couldn't very well let you be executed, especially since Amos was trying to convince the Ministry to lean toward that instead of Azkaban. And I imagine that Amos probably was the one who framed you by planting that blond hair and convincing the Ministry you were behind the murders."

Malfoy's eyebrows furrowed. "So you think the lunatic killed the Ministry members too?"

Harry opened his mouth and then froze. Slowly, he shook his head. "I don't know, to be honest. Maybe he was crazed enough to do it. I hope it was him, otherwise there's a murderer wandering around free. Either way…I'm…," Harry swallowed, trying to choose his words carefully. "I'm glad that it worked out for the best."

Malfoy gazed at him and the two of them fell into silence. Harry was feeling unnaturally nervous.

"Erm, we should probably get Percy to the Ministry as fast as possible," Harry said, trying to fight the feeling of blood rushing to his face.

The blond started walking again and Harry continued as well. They were almost to the Ministry.

"Malfoy," Harry said, glancing at him. He waited until the blond locked eyes with him. "Will you tell me now what you wished for?"

For a moment, he thought he had angered the blond again, but Malfoy shrugged. "I just wished that all evidence or suspicion against me, including influence from my family's history, would be forgotten forever."

"I guess you chose the wording well," Harry said. "Amos didn't seem to despise you like he did before."

Malfoy just shrugged in response. "Guess not. Although, if that pond disintegrated him, how did you get the Scale?"

"Well, I said the right things and did it for the right reasons," Harry said. "I didn't want to use the Scale for myself, I wanted to give it to you. Kald felt that was enough of a reason to let me have it so he let me drink a vial that was mixed with his blood in order to be protected from the pond's magic."

Disgusted, Malfoy crinkled his nose in response. "I don't think I'd ever be that desperate."

Harry just smiled. "You never know."

The blond just made a noise and they fell into silence again. Harry could see the Ministry building and they were approaching the entrance. Not wanting their first real conversation to fade too quickly, Harry decided to say one more thing.

"Hey, you know you still owe me your life for saving you from that dragon."

Glaring, Malfoy gave him a sarcastic look. "What do you want Potter?" he drawled coolly.

Harry shrugged casually even though he felt nervous. "Nothing really. Like I told you, there isn't really anything I desire. But, I was thinking that I need a study partner for the N.E.W.T.s. I have to admit, I'm not the best test-taker and considering that I've had to help the professor I haven't had a lot of time to study. It'd be easier if I had help."

"We have three days to study before the exams when we get back to Hogwarts," Malfoy drawled in his usual tone.

"Yeah, but I don't want to be cramming all this information into my head three days before the exams. That's why, since we only have a week left at this school, I thought maybe we could spend some time studying. I'm not saying we have to study every night, you know, but at least something would be better than nothing."

"Fine, Potter," Malfoy drawled. "Unfortunately, we still might be banned from going to the pub."

"Not necessarily. Once we tell the Ministry what happened and they know Amos was behind it and that he's no longer a threat we might be able to go back."

"Fine, we can study. And then I finally won't be in your debt," Malfoy drawled.

Harry inwardly felt excitement grow, but he just nodded in agreement. They reached the Ministry doors and had to knock several times before someone answered, since it was after hours. It was late and Harry was tired, but he knew that he and Malfoy had to go through questioning. The Ministry members were called from their houses in the middle of the night to attend to this. They questioned him and Malfoy separately with Veritaserum and it took them over an hour to decide what to do.

Percy was sent to St. Mungo's and an owl was sent to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Harry also sent a separate owl to Ron to let him know his brother was alive and what had happened. He figured Ron would tell Hermione so he didn't need to send her an owl. The headmistress was contacted some time later and after she discussed things with the Ministry, Malfoy and Harry were allowed to go back to the school and get some rest.

The Ministry was still uncertain whether Amos Diggory was responsible for the murders of the Ministry members, but they were going to look into it and see if they could find out what really happened. Their first idea was to question Diggory's house elf and then, with permission, question Percy Weasley to see if he remembered who attacked him (if anyone) and if he had any helpful information.

Harry was just grateful to be able to rest. And what made him even more relieved was the fact that he and Malfoy had not only survived, but they seemed to be on better terms. He hoped that it was a sign he and Malfoy could become friends. But he kept that inside, not daring to even think aloud even though no one could hear him. He knew there was no way Ron or Hermione would understand so he planned to keep them in the dark as long as possible. And he was now looking forward to studying for the N.E.W.T.s.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

To Reviewers: 

**Misstree:** Hehe, I know, Malfoy's so frustrating. But he was better by the end of this chapter! It took a lot for him to finally open up, you know, just a couple near-death experiences, but now he'll be easier to tolerate. And now you know who was behind the portkey. I will update asap!

**5mOk3y: **Lol! Yes, they will come to terms with their relationship. It isn't going to be an immediate jump into a romantic relationship, but it's coming very shortly! Promise! And already Malfoy's showing signs of improvement! It just took a couple near-death experiences, that's all. Hehe! Oh! And yes, I have read the seventh HP book! It was great. Have you? But this story was planned out, obviously, before the seventh book so it'll have to end the way I already planned it, which honestly the seventh book I don't think would really make a big difference in this story, but…yeah. I will update asap!

**Maegwin: **I'm glad you enjoyed the dream! Yes, dream-Draco is sometimes easier to handle than the real one. Oh yes, it's not long now! It's already looking up! There will be more sex to come! I'll update asap!


	16. Breaking Barriers

**Pure Rhapsody**

_**I would like to dedicate this chapter to those of you who take the time to let me know what you think of the story**__. It really helps to know what parts are good and what parts need to be improved. I know that some people just read without taking a spare minute to let the author know how he/she is doing. So I would like to thank: _

_**Maegwin**_

_**misstree**_

_**Kai'sgrl**_

_**SuperStylin' **_

_**Missy Padfoot**_

_**FlashDrive**_

_**Snowfalcon**__ and _

_**hkph**_

_for reviewing frequently and keeping up with my story! Thanks so much guys! You make writing this story so much more worth it! _

**Chapter 15: Breaking Barriers**

The headmistress wouldn't allow Harry and Draco to leave the premises until the Ministry was sure that Mr. Diggory had been the murderer (or at least until they had to return to Hogwarts). So, for their protection they had to stay on castle grounds. Malfoy reluctantly agreed to meet in the library for N.E.W.T.s study sessions with him. The two of them decided to meet after dinner the next day. Harry arrived there first and had brought his research books with him. For some reason, he was rather nervous. To distract himself, he began writing down notes and moments later Malfoy appeared.

"Alright, Potter," Malfoy drawled casually as he set his books on the table, "just remember that I'm not doing most of the work."

Harry gazed up at him and furrowed his eyebrows. "I know that. Why, you think this is another scheme of mine to get you to do the studying for me? Come on, Malfoy! I'm not a Slytherin."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed but he sat down across from him. "So clever Potter," he drawled sarcastically. "I've just recently studied the beasts and creatures both dark and harmless that we need to know, so I don't want to work on that."

"That's fine. I was thinking about starting with Herbology since I'm not very good in it."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow but leaned back in his seat. "Fine. How do you want to do this?"

"We can test one another on the certain species and functions of plants we need to know. That way we'll say it aloud over and over and hopefully it'll stick," Harry said, opening his book.

Hearing the blond's heavy sigh, he glanced up to see that Malfoy was opening up a book as well.

"I'll test you on the first one," Harry said, knowing he'd have to initiate something if anything was to get done. Malfoy just glanced up casually; the blond certainly didn't seem to be in the mood to study. "Okay, what is _asphodel_ and its uses?"

Malfoy leaned on his hand. "It's a plant associated with the underworld and its roots can be powdered down and used in the _Draught of Living Death_ potion," he drawled matter-of-factly. "And that specific potion is made up of wormwood, sopophorous bean, valerian roots along with the powdered asphodel roots. If brewed correctly it will make a person fall into a deep sleep. You know it's done correctly if the potion emits blue steam."

Harry's eyebrows rose due to the elaborate explanation and it seemed quite clear that Malfoy had done in-depth research and studying already. Harry felt at a slight disadvantage because the blond seemed to be much more on top of the subjects and details that were necessary. In fact, it reminded him of when he and Ron would study with Hermione and usually felt at a loss with how far ahead she was.

"I see you've been memorizing the books," Harry retorted calmly. "Have you got the chapters memorized as well?"

The other boy just gazed at him with a slight smirk. "At least I know I'm prepared Potter."

"Perhaps. I have a challenge for you then," Harry said, leaning forward as Malfoy raised an eyebrow in question. "If you know practically everything then what is the technique and item used when crushing the sopophorous beans in order to ensure the potion's full effect?"

Sitting up straight, Malfoy just stared at him. The blond thought for a few minutes and then gazed at him carelessly. "I haven't memorized the books, Potter," Malfoy drawled.

"It's not about memorization, Malfoy," Harry said, thinking about what he learned from using Snape's old potions book and studying with Hermione. "You can memorize the books all you want, but honestly if you completely comprehend what you're doing, and not just memorizing, then you'll be more prepared. Not all books are completely correct, or have the best techniques used. Most potions books don't have this information," Harry explained as Malfoy stared at him with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance. "But, the best way to ensure the potion's success is to use a silver dagger in order to crush the beans, but make sure it's with the flat side. That effectively gets all the juices out and therefore there's a greater chance the potion's effects will be at its max."

Malfoy just shrugged, obviously disappointed that his intelligent response didn't intimidate Harry considering he knew of an even smaller detail. But of course that was only due to using Snape's potion book.

"Is that something know-it-all-Granger told you," Malfoy drawled.

"No, I learned that on my own," Harry said honestly. "You know, I may not have the best grades in the world but that doesn't mean I'm not smart."

"We'll see," Malfoy's lips curled into a challenging smile as he flipped the pages of his book. "Now it's your turn Potter. There's one plant that has a couple of uses and there are varying species of it. You have to explain the most common use and rare use of the _hellebore _plant."

Malfoy's eyes were glistening and Harry knew it was a tricky question. That plant was very familiar to him…Thinking back to potions and reading through the book he tried to remember. At first he thought maybe it was in Snape's potion book, so he was trying desperately to remember what he read, but then he suddenly remembered back in his fifth year when Snape yelled at him in front of the whole close because he had forgotten to add that plant to his potion. What were they making? Hellebore…hellebore…

Harry repeated it and tried to keep a calm mask on his face as Malfoy waited, still smirking. It had only been thirty seconds but Harry was getting nervous. He remembered that it was a poisonous plant, because Neville had warned him about it once. But there was something ironic about it. And the irony had occurred that day when Snape yelled at him. Harry lifted his head as the memory came back to him.

"Well, it's used in the _Draught of Peace_ potion," he explained, remembering that had been the potion he screwed up.

He could feel that Malfoy was slightly disappointed that he got the potion right but the blond covered it up by leaning back in his seat. "Go on, Potter. What else?"

As he remembered that day, he also was aware that Snape had given him an extra assignment to do along with failing him on that potion. He had been forced to look up the _Draught of Peace_ and do a one parchment assignment on it. And while he had been researching, he had read briefly about the hellebore. Now he remembered!

"There are a couple rare uses actually," Harry said as Malfoy's smirk faded. "One is that it is said to be used around livestock to protect them from evil spells and also it's used for invisibility only in its powdered form. And the _Draught of Peace_," Harry continued, "has er…powdered moonstone and hellebore and it's used to calm anxiety."

Malfoy just stared at him with disappointment. "So you got one right, but there's much more to know."

"I realize that, Malfoy," Harry said.

They passed off questions to one another and Harry could sense Malfoy was choosing detailed ones and tricky ones to stump him. Harry did get stumped on one, but he compensated by asking Malfoy details about Dark Arts (his supposedly best subject) that Hermione had told him once and the blond hadn't known the answer. After a while of studying, voices caused them both to look up. Three students walked in talking in excitement about something. When they spotted Harry and Malfoy, one of them approached their table.

"Hey, have you guys heard about the party going on this weekend?" the girl asked.

Malfoy leaned forward, clearly interested. "What party?"

"It's a birthday party for Eli Loquet. He's turning twenty, I believe, but anyway he's gathering a list of people who want to come. It's going to be at one of the best Wizard Lounges ever!" she said, pulling out a piece of parchment. "Here's the flyer. If you're interested, put your name on the list which will be hanging by the entrance of the dining hall. Anyone under seventeen can't come."

"How come?" Harry asked curiously.

"Just because they can't use magic legally outside of school. Already there's over thirty students coming anyway. Eli said to spread the word around school. Plus, the headmistress needs to keep track of everyone, especially since most everyone will want to stay the night there. We have to sign in and out at the Lounge as well so the headmistress makes sure everyone gets back here safely. But it's very safe! Once your name is on the list the headmistress can keep a magical tracer on you to know if you got into the Lounge and back to the school. That way no one gets lost or left somewhere. Anyway, hope you both will come!"

Harry smiled and nodded as she left and then he picked up the flyer. The parchment glimmered and was charmed to rearrange the letters reading: _Eli's birthday at the Opaleye Wizard Lounge this Saturday! Rooms will be discounted at 51 galleons, 14 sickles and 13 knuts for those who want to stay the night. Because of the expense of the rooms, and to get the discount, everyone will have to share a room with someone. Games, prizes, pool-use, and other activities will be paid for by the Lounge on account that it's a birthday party! Don't miss the action—a chance for older teens to use magic outside of school for fun! _

Harry watched the pictures of kids dueling and playing what appeared to be wizard games (one of them he swore looked like it was underwater) and then he handed the flyer to Malfoy. The blond examined it critically and then shrugged, setting it down.

"The Opaleye isn't bad I suppose. There are a couple that are better than it, but it's at least an upper middle-class one."

"Er," Harry hesitated as Malfoy gazed up at him, "what's a Wizard Lounge?"

The blond gave him an incredulous look. "Potter, you are more pathetic than I first thought."

"Okay, we've established that I'm clueless to wizard activities and such. Just tell me what it is," Harry said, feeling frustrated.

Malfoy gazed at him in annoyance and crossed his arms. "Alright, Potter. I'll give you something you can understand. It's a huge building with about fifteen floors, being middle-class, where certain activities take place. There's a pub, a place with several different pools probably some as deep as a lake to play underwater games, each floor has hundreds of bedrooms for guests, magically compacted of course, and restaurants where you'll most likely be surprised by the floating meals and magical apparitions," he drawled. "There are areas for dueling, playing drinking games, and other wizard games. That is why no one underage can attend, unless escorted by parents who can do magic for them, understand?"

Harry nodded. "It sounds similar to a muggle hotel."

"I'm not familiar with muggle terms and I don't care to know them," Malfoy drawled coolly as he closed his book.

Harry just ignored the comment and glanced over at the flyer again. "It sounds fun. I think I'm going to go."

"You might want to check with the headmistress, Potter. She may not allow you to go," the blond smirked.

Narrowing his eyes, Harry gazed at him intensely. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

The blond just shrugged, still smirking, and levitated his books into his bag. "We're done for today Potter."

"Fine," Harry agreed.

Malfoy stood up and walked out of the library. Harry watched him go and then packed up his belongings, including the flyer Malfoy left on the table, and headed to his own room.

The next day Harry went to the headmistress' office before breakfast. The door opened for him and the headmistress seemed surprised to see him so early.

"Is something wrong?" she asked from her desk.

"I er wanted to know if I'd be prevented from going to Eli's birthday party or not," Harry said.

The headmistress sat straight up in surprise, but she smiled. "No, Harry, a birthday party is different. It's in a safe and secure Lounge, which has wonderful charms to protect it. Any of the cheaper ones I'd be wary of, but this one in particular I know is a very good one. For your own protection, I wouldn't wander outside of the Lounge, not that I think you're careless but it's just fair to warn you."

"Has the Ministry found out anything?" Harry asked.

"Unfortunately, without being able to question Mr. Diggory himself, they're not sure of anything right now. They're still in the process of examining the bodies of the victims with charms and spells to see if they can find a trace of who's behind it. Considering that it was Mr. Diggory who sent you the letter and he is now deceased, you might not be in danger. But just to be safe I would take precautions."

Harry nodded. "I will. Thanks."

She smiled and nodded and Harry let himself out. He went down to the dining hall in much better spirits. There was a line of students by the entrance using their wands to magically sign their names onto the birthday list. Harry got in line and was thankful that it wasn't too long because it was still early. Once he got up to the list he saw that he was number fifty-five. His eyes examined the list as he raised his wand to sign his name. His eyes stopped when he saw the number forty-three with Malfoy's name written on it. Harry finished signing his name and then went inside to eat.

He was glad Malfoy was going since he'd know someone there, but then again he and the blond weren't exactly friends. Harry was hoping that would change, but it wasn't guaranteed. He and Malfoy had agreed to meet every other night to study so that night Harry studied by himself after dinner in his room before he went to bed. The next night when Malfoy met him in the library again, the blond sat down with an unreadable expression.

"I saw your name on the list Potter," Malfoy said.

Harry glanced up. "Yeah, so? I talked to the headmistress if that's what you're wondering."

He could feel that Malfoy really wasn't bothered by the fact that he talked to her, but the blond snorted. "She's very lenient."

"Look, Malfoy, if you're really bothered by me going maybe it'd comfort you to know that over fifty students are going along and like you said it's a huge building so the likelihood of us bumping into one another really isn't that high."

"I don't care, Potter," Malfoy said bluntly. "I'm not worried about you coming."

Harry was slightly surprised but he could sense the blond wasn't lying.

"Besides, it might be good," the blond smirked. "Then maybe we can finally test which one of us is the better wizard."

Harry raised both eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean the dueling and other games, Potter," Malfoy drawled in response. "We can use magic legally and _unsupervised_ in the Lounge's dueling room and we can finally see who's better."

"Is that a challenge?" Harry asked, staring at him.

The blond smirked. "Are you up for it, Potter?"

"Of course. I'm not afraid of you," Harry said.

Inwardly, he felt his stomach churn with anxiety. Malfoy wanted to duel him, yes, but that also meant they'd be spending time together there. Perhaps he could get to know the blond better.

"Er, so what subject do you want to work on today?" Harry asked.

Malfoy twirled his wand absentmindedly and then spoke after a minute.

"History," he drawled casually.

Harry's anxiety increased. History was his worst subject. Malfoy probably sensed that since he was aware Harry didn't know a lot about the wizard world.

Smirking, Malfoy flipped through his notes. "Alright, Potter. Who is Wendelin the Weird?"

"Like…what specifically?" Harry asked, trying to get some sort of hint.

"What was he famous for and around what era did he live?"

"Well…," Harry said, racking his brain. "He was on a famous wizard card…I believe for inventing….er…some charm."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, smirking with amusement. "Is that the best you can do, Potter? I'd say that's not even passing."

Clenching his jaw firmly, Harry glared. "I don't know, okay. You know that I didn't grow up in the wizard world, Malfoy. You better not be asking me questions that are irrelevant."

"It's on the test, Potter," Malfoy drawled with satisfaction. "Didn't you take History of Magic at Hogwarts like everyone else or were you allowed to skip that?"

"You know I took it, Malfoy," Harry retorted. "You can't seriously expect me to believe you paid attention in Professor Binns class."

"Obviously more than you," the blond sneered.

"Don't think I don't know, Malfoy," Harry's eyes narrowed.

"Know what?" the blond quipped, narrowing his eyes as well.

"Hermione told me that wizards and witches raised in the wizard world have an advantage over those who aren't because their parents or family members normally pass down historic stories or events. She said it's a custom in the wizard world to help magical kids be more prepared for the world and for school. So you already knew a lot before going to Professor Binns' class."

Malfoy just put his wand away and raised an eyebrow. "Are you complaining, Potter?"

Harry's eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "You know, Malfoy, I'm suddenly really looking forward to that duel of ours."

The blond didn't look the least bit surprised and just stared at him with amusement and satisfaction.

"Touching, Potter," he drawled as his smirk widened. "Now listen closely if you don't want to fail. Wendelin the Weird was famous for inventing the Flame-Freezing charm and for fooling clueless muggles. It was during the fourteenth century when there were witch-burnings. Wendelin used various disguises and played magical tricks on muggles and he always ended up at the stake. But since the Flame-Freezing Charm makes it so that it feels like a nice warm breeze and doesn't burn the castor, he was never burned. He was captured and tied to the stake 47 times and apparently thoroughly enjoyed screaming while pretending he was being burned. Did that sink in, Potter?"

"Yes," Harry said through clenched teeth. "Now it's my turn to ask you something."

Malfoy leaned back in his chair comfortably. Harry flipped through some pages and then decided on one.

"When was wizardry accepted in society and when did the wizard world begin to hide from the muggle world, as in when the two worlds began to diverge?"

"That's easy, Potter. Only in Ancient Egyptian times was magic accepted until about 1000 AD when muggles began distrusting people with magic because they felt helpless. That's when the founders of Hogwarts decided to create a magical school because that was the time when the two worlds began to split."

Harry glared at him as Malfoy smiled smugly.

"Your turn. Let's see if you're completely hopeless, Potter. I'll give you one that is basic knowledge for a wizard. When did Ollivanders first open for business?"

"_That's_ basic knowledge?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Of course," Malfoy drawled smugly. "Every kid knows when wands first came about because it was the celebration of the wizard world. Wands really distinguished wizards from muggles and helped control magic, seeing as how some people couldn't control their abilities."

"I don't know," Harry said, glaring.

"Pity. It was in 382 B.C."

To Harry's dismay, Malfoy was enjoying the fact that he knew this subject so much better than he did that they were there for an extra hour. Finally, when Malfoy got tired of it they packed up their things and went to their separate rooms. Harry felt better knowing Malfoy had to share a dormitory with other boys while Harry got his own room since he was a teacher's aid. And he had to admit, although it had been painful to watch Malfoy's arrogance in action, he felt a lot more prepared.

The next day Harry put money a magically sealed envelope with his name written on it. He put it in the box beneath the birthday list. As he did so, he noticed a note at the bottom of the list flashing. It read: _The deadline to sign up and turn in money if you want to spend the night is Friday night (tonight!). Tomorrow morning by breakfast time everyone who sent in envelopes with money for a room will be able to pick their envelopes back up and inside will be their room number and the person they are sharing the room with. The names are chosen fairly by putting numbers into Milwiky's Magic Tube, which then spits out one of the numbers. We pair them up as they come out. The birthday party starts after breakfast at eleven, so you can sign into the Opaleye Wizard Lounge anytime after eleven. _

Harry was feeling excited about the party; not only would he hopefully see Malfoy in a better mood without his arrogant attitude all the time, but he'd also get to see his first wizard hotel. He was anxious the entire night even though he wouldn't have to meet with Malfoy for studying until after the party. There were quite a few students going and while Harry wanted to meet new people, he realized that he had only thought about hanging out with Malfoy. Despite that they got into arguments frequently, Harry felt comfortable around the blond because he knew him. He wondered if that was the only reason though.

That night he slept uncomfortably. His mind seemed to be in turmoil and excitement at the same time. And it didn't help that his scar throbbed occasionally. The discomfort in his scar thankfully was gone by the morning so Harry didn't think about it. He got dressed and went down to the dining hall early. There was another line of students picking up their envelopes and Harry waited until he could get his. He picked his envelope up and entered the dining hall. He set the envelope next to him as he dished some food onto his plate.

Harry began eating his eggs and bacon. As he reached for his glass of apple spice a voice startled him.

"Potter," Malfoy drawled.

Harry turned and gazed at him. "What do you want?"

The blond sat down next to him but his expression was firm. "Let's get something straight Potter. I don't want you to try anything tonight, understand?"

"What are you talking about? You were the one who challenged me to a duel, remember?" Harry retorted, wondering if perhaps Malfoy had changed his mind about wanting to meet up there. Harry felt vaguely disappointed.

"That's not what I'm talking about Potter," Malfoy said. The blond glanced away from Harry's face and caught sight of the envelope sitting next to him. "You didn't open it Potter?"

Harry turned to glance at the envelope. "So?"

"Open it," Malfoy said.

Harry wanted to retort, but he was curious so he opened his envelope and took out the small parchment.

_Harry Potter will room with Draco Malfoy on the seventh floor room W2_

His heart skipped a beat as he stared at the parchment in disbelief. "We're…rooming together?"

"Yes, Potter, that's why I want to make it clear that I go to bed whenever I feel tired and I don't like to be woken up by any loud noises or any lights going on. Is that clear?"

"Fine, Malfoy," Harry agreed.

The blond seemed satisfied so he got up and went back to his spot to finish breakfast. Harry stared back down at the parchment in wonder. Out of all the people he could've been paired with he got Malfoy. Was it a sign or just coincidence? And if it was some sort of a sign, what did that mean? Perhaps his hope that they could become friends was coming true. Either way, a part of him felt relieved that he didn't have to room with a stranger. But the other part of him, the larger part, was nervous. What if he had a wet dream again? Or what if he said something in his sleep that was embarrassing? He tried not to think about it, but it was on his mind even after breakfast.

Harry packed a few things for the night and then shrunk it down to fit into his pocket. Then he summoned his broom and waited until he saw several other students leaving for the party. He followed them on broom so that he wouldn't get lost. It wasn't too far away, to Harry's relief. The building was indeed huge. The color of it was a golden-yellow and there were flashing letters that appeared then disappeared on it reading _Opaleye Lounge_. The inside was even more spectacular. There was a long hallway that led to the registration desk where wizards and witches signed their names in with their wands. And then House Elves apparated when called to help escort guests to their rooms.

Luggage floated past him and one of the fireplaces nearby burst into green flames as a witch appeared. Everyone was either dressed in fancy colored robes or wizard outfits. One girl appeared to be a metamorphmagus because her hair was purple and her skirt kept changing colors. She appeared no older than he was. He approached the registration desk and signed in. A girl that was behind him gasped and Harry turned around.

"You're Harry Potter? Oh it's so nice to meet you! Uh, I'm…hold on!" she said, hurrying to cast her name on the list. "I'm Lilliana Moon. I heard you were at our school helping Professor Everard. I didn't realize you were coming to Eli's party too!"

"Er, yeah," Harry smiled, feeling a bit awkward. He never knew what to say when first meeting people; he was still relatively timid.

The girl waved her wand and her black hair tied itself into a ponytail. Her eyes were a mixture of green and amber. There was a tiny of green, but it wasn't really green like Harry's. Up close it was easy to see the mixture of colors, but from far away she appeared to have honey-colored eyes. Harry wondered if the range of eye colors in the wizard world was much broader than muggles.

Her last name triggered something in his memory. He remembered during his first year when students were being sorted that the name Moon was called out, but he had already been sorted so he wasn't paying attention.

"This is so beautiful! I'm so glad my parents saved up money. I never would have thought to come to such an expensive Lounge," Lilliana continued, not seeming to notice Harry's silence.

"Yeah. It's my first time to a Lounge."

Her amber-green eyes widened in surprise. "Really? Oh, I would've thought with your fame you'd have even gone to the Nundu Lounge! It's the most expensive one in the entire world!"

"Oh. Er, I was wondering," Harry said, as Lilliana turned to face him. "Did you by any chance go to Hogwarts?"

"Oh yes! For my first four years I did!" she smiled. "I remember my first year when I was so nervous about being sorted and I saw you for the first time. Although, you were far away and everything, but everyone was talking about you. And of course I went to Quidditch matches too. But my parents had to move because…you know, jobs and people were growing restless, especially after the incident with the Triwizard Tournament. They lost their jobs and had to find new ones, which they managed to do here in New Zealand, but that's why I had to transfer from Hogwarts."

Harry nodded, unsure of what else to say. A House Elf appeared at that time in front of them.

"May I escort you to your rooms?"

"Oh, thank you. My room's on the fifth floor," Lilliana smiled as the House Elf took her small bag. "Where's yours Harry?"

"Er, on the seventh floor."

"Oh," she said, looking vaguely disappointed.

Harry smiled nervously. "Um, I could walk with you to your room and then go find mine."

"Really? Oh, you're so sweet!" she exclaimed.

Harry walked alongside her, feeling a bit out-of-place, but he was surprisingly relieved to have met someone new.

"So why did you decide to help Professor Everard?" Lilliana asked as they stepped into the elevator.

The House Elf snapped his fingers and the elevator zoomed up to the fifth floor magically in just five seconds. Harry nearly lost balance, but no one seemed to notice.

"Er, I was interested in learning more and getting experience. I'm still not sure what career I want so I thought I'd study at a private school," Harry said as they stepped out and headed down the hall.

"That's nice," she smiled.

"Here's your room," the House Elf said.

"Thanks," Lilliana smiled. "So um, Harry, we should hang out again. Do you want to meet somewhere?"

"Yeah, sure."

"How about…um, at the pool on the third floor?" she suggested.

"Sure," Harry nodded.

"Great!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him.

Harry was surprised, but he patted her back in response. Lilliana released him and gave him a smile.

"See you in ten minutes, Harry," she said, waving.

"Bye," Harry replied.

The House Elf then escorted Harry back to the elevator and took him to his room.

"Thanks," Harry said when they had arrived at the room.

The House Elf smiled widely. "Of course, Harry Potter."

With a pop, he disappeared and Harry opened the door. The room was spacious enough. It had two beds with silky dark-blue sheets. There was a portrait on the left wall and in flashing words on it read _bathroom_. Each bed had its own bureau and there was a window at the corner of the right wall. After enlarging his bag he set it on the bed to the right, noticing that Malfoy's bag was already on the left bed. Harry then approached the window. There was a beautiful view of the large green hills that appeared more like mountains. A sound alerted him and he turned to see the portrait swing open. Malfoy appeared and the blond caught sight of him.

"Did you get lost Potter? Or perhaps everyone stopped you to get an autograph," Malfoy drawled.

"No, actually, I was talking to a girl," Harry said.

"Another girl, Potter? And here I thought you said you have real relationships, not flings," the blond challenged as he raised an eyebrow.

Harry sent him a dark gaze. "Malfoy, it's not like that. She's just a friend. Could you stop trying to make fights?"

Malfoy just snorted in amusement. Harry ignored the look the blond gave him and continued.

"Besides, I thought you'd be gone. What are you still doing here?"

"Pissing for one thing, Potter," Malfoy drawled, gesturing to the portrait. "And for another thing we still have to duel."

"Now? We have all day to duel," Harry said.

"Scared Potter?" Malfoy smirked.

"No, but I was hoping to try some other things first before getting into it with you," Harry said. "Besides, I promised Lilliana I'd meet her at the pool in a few minutes."

Malfoy's smirk faded. "Fine, Potter," he drawled, approaching him till they were a foot apart. "Go have fun with your little girlfriend. We'll meet outside the dueling room at three sharp, got it?"

"Fine."

Malfoy then wheeled around and strolled out of the room. Harry sensed that the blond was angry and he wondered if it was because he had anticipated their duel and Harry was making him wait. Or perhaps the blond didn't like the fact that he was being brushed aside till later. Harry just sighed and pulled out his swimsuit. He hadn't gotten a new one since the one he bought the previous year. It was a dark green one with a silver dragon on the back of his swimsuit (directly etched into the material over his left butt-cheek). It was a bit tight, but it fit snugly and went down to a few inches above his knees.

It wasn't too hard to find the pool, once he reached the third floor. He passed several rooms and he watched with amusement as some kids raced after one another as the dad shot spells at them, making their hair change color. He almost ran into an older boy who was practicing levitating. And then he saw the door way marked with blue waves that were charmed to move like real water.

Harry opened the door and stepped inside. What greeted him made his jaw almost drop. The floor was a marble color and it had been charmed blue, like water. It was squishy beneath his bare feet and there seemed to be mer-people swimming beneath the floor. The room was obviously charmed to expand into practically three room-sizes. There was a small pool where kids were playing. The water would change different shades of blue and sometimes water spouted up beneath a kid, levitating them up and then bringing them back down as they shrieked with joy.

The ceiling had charmed rain falling down, which disappeared a foot before it reached the floor. And magical apparitions of different creatures appeared now and again on the ceiling. Harry saw a flash of what looked like a Kelpie swimming across the ceiling. Then further in there was a pool where elderly men and women got massages from House Elves and were in relaxing water. It looked like natural hot springs. Some dittany plants that Harry recognized were floating in the water, along with other medicinal magical plants. Obviously it was too help the elderly with pains or other complications and probably to give them some energy.

And then the largest pool of them all went from near the center of the room all the way to the back. It was as large as a lake. There were beautiful purple and pink flowers floating on the surface and it seemed that it was full of people. Harry watched a couple of teenagers dive into the water.

"Harry!"

His eyes caught sight of Lilliana in her lilac bikini waving at him. Harry walked over to where she was sitting on the edge of the lake (or pool). He noticed that her bikini was charmed—small white roses appeared on the top and bottom, almost like someone suddenly painted it on, and then they were gone again.

"Hi," Harry greeted as he sat down beside her.

"I'm so glad you're here! A couple of my friends joined the _Kappa War _game," she said.

"Er, what's that?"

"Oh, it's an underwater game. It's fun, but I didn't feel like playing it. Basically there are at least two teams of people, usually consisting of four or five members, and everyone is given a piece of parchment that is fairly selected for them. You have to reach into this charmed box, but anyway, no one can show what they've gotten. Some people are only mer-people or fish, but one person is chosen to be the Kelpie, the legendary sea-monster, whose task is to protect their egg. There's one beautifully large light pink egg that's considered the Kelpie egg. The point of the game is to steal the egg and get it to your own team's spot first. Of course the lake is so huge, which is why it's challenging.

"Anyway, so teammates can freeze their opponents in bubbles or use other magic, that's temporary of course to set their opponents back or to distract them so they can steal the egg. And then one person is chosen to be the Kappa demon. And Kappas are of course rare but incredibly dangerous, as you know, so that person if they tag you can eliminate you from the game, you know, like you 'died'. And if the Kappa demon manages to get the egg then everyone's skin turns a different color for twenty minutes. If another team wins then they can get favors or something from teammates, if that's what everyone decides on."

"Sounds interesting," Harry smiled. "So…does that mean everyone eats Gillyweed or something?"

"Some people eat Gillyweed, others eat Donnaweed and Aerweed, which are the most common plants because they don't change your form that much. All plants can be bought in the shop outside the back door," she gestured. "And you can also buy magically charmed props for other games like _The Water Dragon Hunt _and stuff. It's all really exciting! I'm not very good with games like these though because you have to be fast. Even with Gillyweed it's hard to evade people and not get hit by spells or something. So, you've never played?" Lilliana questioned, smiling brightly at him.

Harry shook his head. "No."

"Well that's okay. We can just explore if you want to."

"Er, aren't people playing a game?"

"Oh, the lake's huge! And besides, those who are playing the game charm their hand so a black star appears on it. That way people know who's in the game and who's not."

Harry nodded and watched as she slipped into the water. "Here, I bought some Donnaweed earlier," she said, handing him some. "People playing the game also encourage everyone to eat the same stuff so it's easier to tell who's playing when you're at a distance. Usually people playing the game will eat Gillyweed because they can move faster."

"Er, I'll pay you back."

"Don't worry, it's not that expensive," she smiled, chewing her piece of Donnaweed.

Harry chewed his as well and felt an odd sensation in his lungs. He jumped into the water and found that his body didn't really change. Except for his skin feeling more leathery, like a fish, there were no fins or gills. Watching Lilliana take in a deep breath, even though she appeared normal as well, Harry breathed in too.

"How come we look the same?"

She moved her head in the water, her black hair flowing out around her shoulders and face. "Donnaweed is the mildest form. It makes your skin smooth with oils like that of a fish so the water feels more natural and you can glide through it," she said, easing back. "But the good thing is there's no funny gills or fins or shark heads or anything. What it does is produce a huge air bubble around your lungs and it lasts up to an hour. It's the shortest time-span, but it's the nicest, I think."

"Yeah," Harry agreed, gliding beside her.

The water felt so relaxing and smooth against his skin, like he was floating. Harry looked up toward the surface and saw the water glimmering on top. It was truly magnificent. Lilliana dove deeper and Harry followed. They passed through long blue plants that tickled their skin. Harry saw a couple people with fins and gills race by them. They seemed to be trying to escape from someone (perhaps the person who was the Kappa demon).

"Look there!" Lilliana exclaimed, pointing down.

Harry glanced down as his hair floated away from his face and he noticed a cluster of beautiful golden flowers. Their petals were long and pointed and whenever a rush of water came at them, the petals folded closed, as if protecting something inside. Lilliana gestured for him to follow as she got closer. They glided forward smoothly and waited as the flower opened again.

They both peered inside and Harry saw the most wondrous thing: Small little creatures that looked to be a combination of a lizard and a dragon, although no bigger than Harry's fist, sat inside. The one they stared in was a glorious charcoal and had bright blue eyes. Its pupils were slits like that of a dragon and it seemed it had been sleeping for its long tail was still curled around its body. There were small blue stripes on its tail and it opened its mouth to reveal a layer of small, sharp teeth.

"They're wonderful pets," Lilliana explained, reaching out a finger very slowly. She let the creature smell her and then she stroked its small head with one finger. "If they get mad or they're not taken care of properly they might snap at you, but it doesn't draw too much blood. And their bite isn't fatal. I've always wanted one, but they're really expensive because they're hard to catch."

"Are they going extinct?" Harry asked curiously, watching as the creature stood up on its four small feet and began sniffing around.

"No, not at all. They're a really desired pet so they're not hunted or killed for clothing or items. Most people don't bother because they're so small anyway. Besides, they're protected under Wizard law, especially since they're hybrids."

"Hybrids?"

"Oh yes. They're fairly new. They just started coming around in the past decade. I've studied them," she smiled, turning to glance at him.

Her eyes appeared brighter under water. They reminded him a bit of Malfoy's only his were silver-blue—a very pretty and rare color. Harry blinked, realizing where his thoughts were going and quickly turned his attention back on her.

"They're a hybrid of the Acido Demon, which is an aggressive lizard that has a similar face to that of a dragon but can spit acid, and an Ashwinder."

"Er, isn't that the grey serpent with red eyes that leaves fire-eggs," Harry said, remembering that he researched it for Hagrid's class.

"Yep! If they're not found in time they basically go off like a bomb and set things on fire when the baby comes out. But they're great in potions. And they're harmless. I don't know how the Ashwinder ended up mating with an Acido Demon, but I'm so glad they did because these Ash Demons are so adorable! And like the Acido Demon they can live underwater or on land. Their lungs can produce oxygen from the inside whenever they're underwater without needing gills. They're pretty neat."

Harry nodded in agreement. After Harry had his turn at petting one of them, they explored more of the lake. Harry was surprised to see magical fish, like the Betta-Dragon which was a bright blue fish with a long head and fins that were thin and long, looking like a huge fan spreading out around it. And there were other harmless water creatures swimming around them. After more exploration, they surfaced and Harry could already feel his lungs turning back to normal.

A few of Lilliana's friends surfaced a minute later as well. Harry was introduced to a tall brunette with hazel eyes and another girl with short blonde hair and brown eyes. Then lastly a girl with shoulder-length curly red hair and hazel eyes.

"I can't believe I'm actually meeting Harry Potter!" the red-haired girl, named Miki, exclaimed in excitement.

The other girl named Bri was shy and so she just smiled at him. The boy Luke shook his hand firmly with a broad smile on his face.

"Blimey it's so bloody awesome to meet you!"

"Er, thanks," Harry smiled awkwardly.

"Come on, let's all go get some lunch!" Lilliana exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm starved," Luke said, patting his stomach.

Harry went along with them, after they all waved their wands over themselves to change back into regular clothes. He listened to funny stories about them playing magical pranks on one another. They arrived at a restaurant and Harry was fascinated with the floating plates of food and drinks. Malfoy hadn't been kidding. There were apparitions of creatures and even a couple of Merlin floating around. They appeared and disappeared at different intervals. And at one point, as their Butterbeers floated over to them, an Occamy soared past them, hissing as it spread its wings and then vanished.

"So, 'arry," Luke grinned, "you like Quidditch?"

"Yeah, I love it," Harry answered honestly.

"Excellent!" Luke exclaimed, throwing his fist into the air. "The girls here never want to talk about Quidditch! Finally I have someone to talk to!"

"Boys!" Miki rolled her eyes.

They were seated at a round table and Harry was sitting between Luke and Lilliana. Harry sampled fried Moke eggs (which was a small lizard that could shrink at will and laid many eggs which weren't very useful in potions minus shrinking ones, but they tasted great). Luke discussed Quidditch with him and the latest matches. Harry was familiar with most of the teams, but he wasn't up-to-date on all the matches. He found out that the Stonewall Stormers were in the lead for the national cup. They were a Canadian team and had recently defeated the Tarapoto Tree-Skimmers from Peru.

"I think the next national Quidditch tournament is going to be the best!" Luke exclaimed as he stuffed food into his mouth.

"Yeah, although I'm surprised that the Germany team has been doing poorly."

Luke nodded in agreement. "True. They're normally one of the top five that gets to nationals. Guess they're having a bad year."

Harry nodded and they broke away from Quidditch to talk about what they wanted to do with their lives. Time passed by fast and Harry waved his wand and realized it was nearing three.

"This was great," Harry said, taking a last sip of his Butterbeer. "But I do have to meet a friend at three."

"Aw," Lilliana pouted. "Alright, Harry. But I'll see you in school, right?"

"Hey, me too!" Miki said.

"We all go to the same school," Luke said, shaking his head.

"Er, well…Monday I go back to Hogwarts to take my N.E.W.T.s," Harry said.

"No! So soon?" Lilliana asked.

Harry nodded apologetically. "Er, I can keep in touch by owl though and maybe we could all hang out in the summer."

"Great idea!" Miki exclaimed.

Lilliana smiled and stood up to give Harry a big hug goodbye. "Well, if I don't see you before you leave then make sure that you owl me as soon as you get there."

Harry smiled. "I will. It was nice meeting you all."

"You too, 'arry!" Luke grinned.

Miki and Bri waved to him as he left the restaurant. He made his way to the dueling floor and was thankfully right on time. Malfoy was standing by the entrance with his arms crossed over his chest.

"There you are, Potter," Malfoy smirked, easing off the wall. "Ready to lose?"

"You wish," Harry retorted.

The two of them walked through the doors and Harry's eyes had to adjust to the dimmer lights. There were areas, almost like courts for Tennis or some sport, for people to duel. Harry and Malfoy paid for a spot near the end of the room. There were shields separating each of the separate areas so no one hit outside their area.

"Alright, Potter, here's how it works," Malfoy drawled. "We put on these charmed jackets, which protect us from injuries but it also keeps score. The jacket determines whose spells or hexes or whatever are more powerful and how many times you get hit. Then a winner is determined."

Harry nodded and slipped on the black jacket. It was warm and seemed to cling to his body. They were only five or so feet away from one another. They had to wait for the buzzard to go off so both of them stood in their ready-positions. The moment they heard the ding spells and hexes were flying toward one another. Harry easily dodged Malfoy's leg-binding hex and Malfoy managed to duck past his own throwing-spell.

Malfoy was concentrating so hard and quickly whipping spells and hexes at him that Harry didn't have a lot of time to go on the offensive. But he threw out a blinding spell that distracted Malfoy long enough for him to hurl a spell at him. It hit the blond's arm and instantly Malfoy's skin turned blue. Malfoy stared at his skin, bewildered and Harry burst into laughter at how ridiculous he looked.

"Oh, you think that's funny, Potter?" Malfoy shouted.

The blond suddenly disapparated and Harry prepared himself by creating a clone of himself. When Malfoy appeared he hit the clone and the real Harry, hiding off to the side, hurled another jinx which sent Malfoy's legs dancing of their own accord. Harry was laughing so hard he could barely contain himself. Unfortunately, his laughter made him vulnerable and angrily Malfoy shot a hex at him that made his whole body turn to jello and his voice because twice as high as normal. So when he laughed he sounded like a girl with a throat condition. Malfoy laughed at him.

"Not so funny anymore is it Potter?" the blond smirked, raising both eyebrows in amusement.

Harry glared, making sure not to say anything to amuse him further. They continued throwing hexes at one another and Malfoy managed to blast him off his feet, but Harry then disapparated from his position on the floor and appeared behind Malfoy, sending him sliding all the way across the floor. Their time was up a while later and it was deemed that they had tied. The two of them exited the room and Malfoy wheeled around.

"There's another way to settle this, Potter."

"What?" Harry asked.

The blond's lips curled widely. "A game."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Are you serious? How will that solve anything?"

"You'll see," Malfoy said smugly.

Reluctantly, Harry followed him to a different room and he saw some people immersed in games seated in booths and then others were in lounge chairs but they had a strange mist covering them so they were hard to see. Malfoy purchased a lounge area and they sat down.

"Okay, Potter. This is the _Sorcerer's Challenge_. It's simple. It's a game of logic. Basically, we each have a set of twenty pieces each. Like in Wizard's Chess, they all have their purposes. For example, you see the one that looks like a dragon? That one is like a bomb. It can destroy a piece, but the trick is that we can only see our own pieces. And we set them up, like an army, so the opponent can't see which pieces are where. We move forward through this huge terrain of landscape and we have to collect our opponent's treasures. There are two Occamy eggs, one dragon egg, and then the most prized Merlin's staff. We hide them someone in the pieces and when our pieces collide, whosever is stronger moves forward and whosever is weakest gets destroyed."

"I understand," Harry nodded. "So basically because we can only see blanks on our opponents pieces we have to be careful which ones we confront. And at the same time try to find the hidden treasures. So I'm guessing the first person to collect all the treasures wins."

"Yes," Malfoy responded. "But I warn you I'm good. And just so you know there will be a mist that surrounds us to give us privacy during our game and also so we can't hear other people, making it easier to concentrate. Also, whoever wins gets a favor from the other person."

"What kind of favor?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Obviously nothing against the rules, Potter. No one can ask for money or force someone to give something of their possession, unless it's mutually agreed by both. But, if you're too afraid you're going to lose…," Malfoy smirked.

"I'm not," Harry countered. "Alright, what do you want if you win?"

"Not so fast, Potter. We don't have to reveal our favors until there's a winner."

"Are we forced to do the favors?"

"Only if you don't want a simple hex to change your appearance for the worse. But like I said, there are rules against asking for obvious illegal favors or things not appropriate. Every game is monitored so people can be thrown out if they try asking for something that breaks the rules. There's a rule-book at the front desk if you want to look through it, but I assure you Potter it's nothing fatal or anything. These are harmless games, but it's just to see who is the better wizard. And this requires intellect and magic because some of our pieces can perform some spells or charms. Do you understand?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "Who goes first?"

"The game will decide. First we place our pieces in whatever order we want."

Harry did so, making sure that his pieces were all facing him and the blank sides were facing Malfoy so the blond couldn't see them. The game began slowly as Harry familiarized himself with the pieces and the way they moved. It was simple—they all moved forward one to five spaces, but it was difficult to know which ones to move and which ones not to.

After over an hour, Malfoy had more of Harry's pieces, but Harry had two out of the three of Malfoy's treasures. The blond seemed nervous and frustrated and Harry tried to figure out where the third one was. He decided that he wouldn't have been able to find it and win the game, if Malfoy hadn't accidentally, at the last minute, bumped into Harry's dragon. Once Malfoy's piece was destroyed, Harry moved his forward and Malfoy's piece turned out to be Merlin's staff.

Malfoy cursed loudly as Harry's side of the board flashed colors to show that he won. Smiling, Harry glanced up at Malfoy as the mist around them faded.

"What's your favor Potter?" Malfoy drawled coolly.

"I want you to show me your tattoo."

Malfoy's jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. "Fine!" he snapped through clenched teeth. "But not here! Let's go, Potter!"

Harry followed him out of the room and back to their room. Malfoy shut the door harshly behind them and Harry watched him nervously.

"You're despicable, Potter!" Malfoy snapped as he unbuttoned his jeans.

Harry wanted to turn away, but he also wanted to see the tattoo. He watched, a bit uncomfortably, as Malfoy pulled his pants down and Harry caught a glimpse of his black boxers. Then Malfoy turned around and Harry came closer until he was within a foot away. Malfoy jerked the part of his boxers that was showing down to reveal the moving tattoo. Harry's eyes took in the tattoo, which was not quite the size of Harry's fist. At first the color appeared black, like he had thought it was when he glimpsed it in the lake, but it was a dark blue.

The tattoo was a three-headed snake, also known as the Runespoor, which was a common pet among Dark Wizards, particular wealthy ones because Runespoors weren't very common. The snake's body had silver stripes on it and Harry recognized it to be one of the most rare Runespoor because of its vibrant colors. It was also the only species that was poisonous. Harry also knew the Runespoor could get up to six to seven feet in length, although it didn't live as long of a life as a snake like Nagini.

"A Runespoor," Harry commented. "It's nice."

Malfoy pulled up his boxers and Harry tried to ignore the fact that he had seen the tip of the tail of the tattoo that moved against the blond's tailbone and was dangerously close to exposing the tip of his rear. Malfoy buttoned and zipped his jeans back up and then wheeled around.

"Happy now, Potter?"

"Yeah," Harry said, shrugging. "Where did you get it?"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow and then smirked. "_You_ want to get a tattoo Potter?"

"So? What's wrong with that?" Harry asked as his eyebrows furrowed.

"It's not very Gryffindor of you. But let me guess, you want a Griffin, right?" Malfoy quipped.

Harry shook his head. "No. I want something much more rare and not very commonly seen. They remain invisible to most people."

"What is it?" Malfoy asked.

Smiling, Harry shrugged. "Can't tell you."

"Excuse me, Potter? I believe I just showed you mine!"

"Yeah, but that's only because you had to. I've asked you to show me it twice before and you didn't," Harry said, standing up.

He went to the bureau beside his bed and Malfoy watched him, obviously annoyed.

"I wonder…this place is so big maybe they have a tattoo place," Harry said, pulling out the brochure from inside the drawer. It had a list of all the places inside the Lounge by floors. "I don't believe it! There's one on the tenth floor!"

Harry stood up and began heading for the door.

"You're going to get one, Potter?" Malfoy asked surprised.

"Yeah, I said I would."

"They're very expensive," Malfoy said.

"I can afford it, I'm sure," Harry shrugged.

With that, he walked out and began heading toward the elevator. Seconds later he heard Malfoy.

"Potter!"

Harry halted and waited for Malfoy to catch up.

"What?"

"I need to see this," Malfoy drawled.

Not wanting to argue, Harry just shrugged and the two of them got into the elevator. They were at the tenth floor in no-time and they had to go down a couple hallways before they found it. They stepped inside and Harry saw apparitions of various tattoos lined on the walls. They were moving as they would if they were on a person. There didn't seem to be many people there so there wasn't really a line. There were chairs lined nearby one another, almost like at a hairdresser's, only it was where people sat to get the tattoos engraved on them.

"May I help you gentlemen?" a woman appeared. She had an Occamy moving up her arm and Harry glanced at it briefly.

"Er, yeah. I'd like to get a tattoo."

"Wonderful! Would you like to see our specials or any specific creatures or designs?"

"No, that's alright. I know what I want," Harry said.

She smiled. "Right this way then."

The woman led him to a chair and Harry sat down. Malfoy stood nearby watching intently.

"Now, where would you like it?" she asked.

Harry thought for a minute. "Er, on my back on the left shoulder."

"Alright," she said. "I'll need you to remove your shirt."

Gripping the ends of it, he pulled his shirt off. The woman gazed at the spot where he wanted it.

"How big would you like it?"

"Er…Not too big."

"Alright, let's see," she said, putting her hands on his back. "How about from…here," she touched right by the crease by his armpit, "to here," she said, ending at his shoulder bone.

"Yeah," Harry agreed.

"Great! Now, what would you like?"

"A Thestral," Harry answered.

The woman's eyes widened. "Well…that's a peculiar request. I've heard they're intimidating but beautiful creatures. I unfortunately don't know what they look like, because as you know only those who have seen death can see them," she said and Harry nodded, glancing over at Malfoy who looked stunned but intrigued. "But I'll bet my boss knows what they look like. Hold on…MUNDEL!"

Harry winced from how loud she shouted but it got the job done. Less than a minute later a rather large, semi-plump elderly man came out. He had a short white beard and thin white hair on his head.

"What's that?" he asked, glancing at Harry and Malfoy.

"This young man would like a Thestral."

"A Thestral!" the boss exclaimed in amazement. "I haven't gotten that request in years! I'll do it."

The woman smiled and then walked away and the elderly man approached Harry with interest.

"Ah, yes, perfect spot," he said, examining the place where the woman had apparently made magical marks on his skin.

The elderly man raised his wand and Harry didn't even have time to tense. There was a slight burning sensation and then it was over.

"Beautiful! I never get tired of seeing those creatures!" he exclaimed. "Here, see if you like it."

The man summoned a magical mirror so Harry could see his back. The beautiful skeletal horse flexed its wings and opened its dragon-like mouth. Its head moved up as if it were searching and its white eyes glimmered against his skin before it went back to its original position with its wings against its body.

"It's perfect," Harry smiled.

"Excellent," the man laughed. "Now, you just pay up here," he said as he stood up to go behind the counter.

Harry paid the man and then slipped his shirt back on. He and Malfoy then walked out of the place. He could feel the blond's curious gaze staring at his back even though the tattoo was covered.

"Why did you choose that creature?" Malfoy asked curiously.

"Because I like them. They're really tame even for being carnivorous and I think they look bloody cool. Can you see them?" Harry asked turning.

Malfoy glanced at him in confusion and then shrugged. "No, I haven't seen one."

"They pull the carriages at Hogwarts. If you've seen death then you'll be able to see them."

Malfoy didn't say anything but Harry could feel his wonder. It was already approaching early evening and Harry was getting hungry for dinner.

"Hey," Harry said, glancing side-ways at him. Malfoy turned and gazed at him casually. "Do you want to get dinner?"

The blond stared at him and Harry sensed his mind seemed conflicted but finally Malfoy spoke.

"Fine," he drawled passively. "But I'm choosing the restaurant. I don't trust your preferences."

Harry just nodded in agreement and followed Malfoy to the elevator. He was surprised that so far they seemed to be rather civil to one another. And as the elevator took them down, Harry tried to ignore the fluttering sensation in the pit of his stomach.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

To Reviewers:

**Kai'sgrl: **I'm so glad you liked the chapter! Ah yes, the vampires have their importance. Plus they're cool! Hehe! I try to make the chapters as interesting as possible and as suspenseful without making it too frustrating. But anywhoo, I'll update asap!

**Maegwin: **Yeah, me too! I love when inspiration hits me! I hate just sitting and staring at my computer for like an hour trying to get a chapter out. But unfortunately, that does happen frequently. I'll try to keep updating as quick as possible. Yeah, I liked making Amos a villain in this story. I hinted that he was a little out-of-sorts in an earlier chapter so that way it wouldn't be a huge shocker when this chapter came. Ah yes, Harry and Draco are definitely getting there now. Just a little push further…I'll update asap!

**Misstree: **Just a little bit further and they'll be together. Not to say that it'll be perfect when that happens, but…at least it'll happen soon! But there's still much more to the story, but don't worry the start of romance is basically here. They just need one little push…

**Hkph: **I know it's a miracle, right? Lol! It just took two near-death experiences and Malfoy finally managed to say thank-you! Hehe! Yes, I hinted in an earlier chapter that Amos was going to be the bad guy, basically, but don't worry there's still much more to this story. And the romance is basically here. While it won't be perfect, there will be much more romance, lemons, and such. Harry's already realized his feelings, for the most part. They just need a little shove in the right direction. Haha! Well, I don't know about reading minds…maybe my muse can read your mind. Perhaps that's how inspiration hit me and was like: "Write! Write!" I'll update asap!

**SuperStylin': **Yep, things are definitely looking up! The romance is basically here, I mean the start of it anyway. So don't worry there will be more lemons to come, very shortly! Oh yes, I have an outline of this story all planned out so don't worry! I know what you mean…I'm not a real big Harry/Ginny fan. I'm glad it ended happy, but at the same time I felt it was too predictable, you know? Especially since Ginny has red hair like Harry's mom, almost like Harry's exactly like James who chose Lily (except Ginny is a pureblood so Harry's kids are probably more experienced in magic), you know? But oh well. It's over now. I'll update asap!

**Missy Padfoot: **Hehehe! Yep, Draco's jealous and he's still a bit in denial right now. But at least Harry's managed to figure out his feelings, for the most part. Don't worry, Draco will soon enough. And the start of the romance is finally here! And there will be more lemons shortly too! I will update asap!


	17. Taking a Risk

**Pure Rhapsody**

_**Next chapter has sexual content. **_

**Chapter 16: Taking a Risk**

The restaurant that Malfoy chose was much fancier than the one he went to with Lilliana and her friends. It had comfortable chairs that rose to levitate at least a foot off the floor in order to reach the higher tables. Not all the chairs levitated; the booths were so squishy that people melted into them. And different species of fairies and phoenixes appeared now and again, flying through the air.

They were taken to a table with levitating chairs and Harry saw that above their table was a floating chandelier. Menus floated to them and Harry stared at it uncertain of what to get. He glanced over his menu at Malfoy who was contemplating the choices as well. Harry felt his stomach squirm again. Being alone with Malfoy at a table for two felt strangely like a date. He couldn't imagine dating Malfoy…and yet when he thought about it his stomach churned again with a tingling sensation.

Malfoy waved his wand at the dish he wanted and then set his menu down. It floated back to its spot without help. "Ready, Potter?"

"Er, yeah," Harry said, waving his wand at one of the dishes that sounded good: _grilled Betta-Dragon _and then he put his menu down. "So…why did you choose this place?"

"It's high-class," Malfoy drawled casually. "Is it too much for you, Potter?"

"No," Harry said gently. He didn't want to argue at all with the blond so he decided to change the subject. "You know, Lilliana's friend Luke believes that the Canadian Quidditch team is going to win the Quidditch World Cup."

Malfoy snorted in disbelief. "That shows how clueless he is! They may have a great Seeker who has saved their arses by catching the Snitch before the other teams, but they have only one good Chaser, the other one has way too slow reflexes. That's going to cost them big-time when they get to the championships. They're only in the lead now because of chance, but when they come up against the Argentine team they're going to lose."

Harry shrugged and gave a small smile. "We'll see."

The drinks they had magically selected with their meals floated over to them and Harry took a large sip of his Butterbeer, hoping it would help calm his nerves.

"So, Potter," Malfoy drawled quietly, "has the Ministry figured out anything about the murders?"

Sighing, Harry shook his head. "No. The headmistress said they were examining the bodies more thoroughly, but you know without being able to question Mr. Diggory they're not positive he committed the murders. Although…"

Harry trailed off and was silent for several seconds. Malfoy swallowed the sip he took of his drink and stared at him. "What?"

"Well…if he was behind the murders I don't see how that would've solved anything. He seemed to be more after me than anyone else."

"Yes, but he was after me too, Potter," Malfoy drawled, setting his drink down. "Remember he wanted me executed. Therefore he could've murdered in hopes of framing me and making that possible."

"True," Harry nodded. "You're probably right. It does make sense, I guess…it's just so hard for me not to think danger's lurking around the corner, you know?"

Malfoy remained silent and Harry stared down at his drink. "I'm so used to facing one danger after another that I guess it's just a reaction that I think someone else is out to get me or something."

"You're paranoid, Potter," Malfoy drawled casually.

Harry glanced back up at him into his silver-blue eyes, which shone brighter because of the chandelier. It was hard not to stare and Harry felt his throat constrict so he took another sip of Butterbeer. To his relief, their food came a moment later and they were both distracted by eating.

When they were finished, they both paid and walked out of the restaurant. Harry wanted to start up another conversation and he realized it wasn't that late yet so as they walked down the hall Harry glanced at Malfoy.

"Have you ever heard of Ash Demons?"

The blond jerked his head toward him. "No, Potter," he drawled.

"Really?" Harry asked, surprised. "You should see them. They're bloody awesome."

Malfoy stared at him, his gaze intense. "Where are they?" he drawled finally.

"I'll show you," Harry said. "But we'll have to change into swimsuits."

They entered the elevator and headed to the third floor. Harry was feeling rather excited. Malfoy lazily waved his wand over his body and a short, black swimsuit appeared on him. There were silver flames on the bottom of his bathing suit and they were charmed to move. Harry waved his wand and appeared in his green bathing suit as well as they entered the pool area. Malfoy didn't seem very impressed by the magic in the room. Harry led him over to the back door where they saw a small stand on the other side.

"Er, two pieces of Donnaweed please," Harry said, handing the older woman some coins.

She had a large wart on her cheek and she smiled toothily. "Here you are," she said, handing him the Donnaweed.

Harry nodded his thanks and handed Malfoy a piece as they headed back into the pool room. They approached the lake-sized pool and Harry stuffed the Donnaweed in his mouth. Once they had both chewed it up, they slipped into the water. They sank deep under the water and Harry was deeply impressed by the glowing fish and plants. There was still enough light but because it was close to nighttime some new plants and creatures appeared. Harry glided around in the water and turned to face Malfoy. The blond's hair was flowing around his face, much like Lilliana's had. Malfoy's bangs were longer than Harry's and even wet his hair appeared perfect.

Swallowing thickly, Harry waited until Malfoy turned to face him. "Follow me," he said, gliding through the water.

Malfoy swam partially beside him, though he still allowed him to lead the way. Harry dove deeper and headed toward the familiar flowers near the bottom. The flowers, being sensitive to movement, curled their petals closed as they neared. Harry gestured for Malfoy to stop and the blond watched him. Harry could feel his curiosity.

"Well, Potter?"

"We have to approach slowly," Harry said. "Let me do it."

Malfoy stared at him expectantly and Harry glided close to the flowers and then remained still. He waited for the purple petals to flutter open again, which they did a few seconds later. Harry peered inside and saw, to his astonishment, two Ash Demons nestled together. One was a bright red except for the tip of its tail which was black and the other one was a beautiful deep sapphire.

Very carefully, Harry slipped his hand inside and gently lifted the sapphire one. Harry cupped his other hand over it and then glided toward Malfoy, who instantly stared at his hands wondering what was inside. Once Harry was just a few inches away from the blond, he held out his hands.

"Here, open your hands," Harry said.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, but put his two palms together and Harry put his hands on the blond's, letting the sapphire Ash Demon gently drop into Malfoy's hands. When he lifted his hands away, Malfoy stared with awe at the little dragon-like creature in his hand. The Ash Demon walked along Malfoy's palms, its tail swishing back and forth as it explored. The creature lifted its head and opened its mouth, showing its tiny sharp teeth and then began gliding up out of Malfoy's hands onto his wrist.

"What the heck are these things?" Malfoy asked curiously, watching as it crawled up its arm.

"They're hybrids of Acido Demons and Ashwinders. That's why they're called Ash Demons. And despite that they have sharp teeth and look like dragons, they don't get any bigger than this and they're supposedly great pets."

The Ash Demon had made its way to Malfoy's shoulder and it decided that was a nice place to perch. The blond examined the creature with wonder and curiosity and then he gazed back at Harry.

"How come I've never heard of them?"

"They've only just appeared in the last decade, from what Lilliana told me," Harry answered, gliding closer. "And they're hard to capture so they're really expensive, but I'll bet in the next few years practically everyone will want one."

Malfoy snorted and glanced at the small sapphire creature resting on his shoulder. "They seem rather useless."

"They aren't," Harry said defensively as the blond gazed at him. "I think they're great. I'd love to get one. Besides, being hybrids means that they've probably got some sort of special ability."

"Like what, Potter?" Malfoy drawled in amusement.

"I'm not sure," Harry shrugged. "Here, let me see it."

Harry came closer and reached out his hands, brushing against Malfoy's shoulder as he lifted the creature into his hands. A quiet noise, almost like a baby dragon's cry only more high-pitched, sounded and Harry realized it came from the creature. He didn't realize he was smiling and he opened his hand so that the creature could climb on his shoulder.

"Hey little guy," Harry said, reaching out a finger to gently stroke along its scaley head.

The creature made a noise again and then it decided to crawl up Harry's neck up toward his hair. Harry released a soft laugh as it headed toward the top of his head.

"What are you doing?"

Malfoy watched him and Harry felt that the blond was intrigued and amused by Harry's attraction to the creature. The Ash Demon nestled itself in Harry's hair, resting its head by Harry's forehead.

"It apparently considers your messy hair a nest, Potter," Malfoy drawled in amusement.

Harry smiled. "I guess so."

He gazed at Malfoy and saw that the blond was standing nearby glowing night-plants. The light from the plants made it seem like there was a subtle pearly glow around Malfoy. His blond hair glistened from the light and had come to rest around his fair face like usual, only because of the water his hair billowed a bit. Under water the blond's skin also appeared more luminous and Harry was staring with awe at how…attractive he was. Harry was suddenly grateful that they were underwater so Malfoy wouldn't notice the blood rushing to his face.

What made his stomach flutter violently was the fact that Malfoy's appearance underwater reminded him of his dream. The blond just stared at him evenly, unaware of Harry's feelings and thoughts.

"So, uh…what do you think of them?" Harry asked quietly, trying to calm his racing heart.

Malfoy shrugged, gliding his arms through the water carelessly. "They're nothing spectacular, Potter."

"You can't be serious!" Harry exclaimed. "Come on! Look at the others resting in the flowers. Some of them have mixed colors in them."

Gliding over to the flowers, Malfoy waited until some of them opened and then he peered inside.

"So what?" he asked, gliding back to his spot.

Harry opened his mouth but was unexpectedly shoved roughly. His body lurched forward forcefully and he collided into Malfoy's body. The blond was startled and grasped Harry's biceps as Harry placed his hands on the blond's chest to steady himself. Jerking his head, Harry saw a boy who had apparently eaten Gillyweed jetting past them.

"Watch where you're going!" Harry exclaimed.

The boy didn't seem to hear him as he swam away, disappearing in the distance. Harry and Malfoy had separated a bit and his heart seemed to pound even more. They were within inches of each other and Harry turned to see Malfoy glaring after the boy.

"He's probably playing the Kappa War game," Harry said, shrugging as Malfoy just crossed his arms casually. "Oh no! Where did the Ash Demon go?" Harry exclaimed, whirling around in the water.

"How should I know?" Malfoy drawled. "It probably swam away."

"It wouldn't have had time!" Harry exclaimed, looking around.

"Quit freaking out, Potter," Malfoy smirked. "It's just a—"

"Malfoy, look!" Harry exclaimed in wonder.

The blond stopped and then turned his head. There was the creature floating in the water with what appeared to be a shimmering blue shield around its body. The creature was still in the same position as when it had been in Harry's hair.

"I don't believe it!" Harry grinned. "It sensed the danger and protected itself with a shield!"

Malfoy snorted. "Potter, you're too easily impressed," the blond drawled, gliding away. "You're seriously about as clueless as a mu—"

The blond was abruptly cut off as something rammed into him. Malfoy went flying off to the side and Harry saw someone with a shark's head jetting by so fast. The person with the shark head turned, obviously feeling that he had hit something, but swam away as another person chased after him. Malfoy had been thrown toward the rock wall that was sticking up from the bottom of the floor. It wasn't very large, but it apparently had small holes for the Ash Demons and other creatures to swim inside, like many little caverns. The blond slammed his back into it, groaning in pain and Harry raced down toward him.

"Malfoy!" he exclaimed, approaching him quickly. "Are you alright?"

Harry grasped the blond's shoulder and Malfoy winced. "Don't touch, Potter!"

"Here, let me see," Harry said, gliding around as Malfoy slowly lifted off the wall. There was a small scrape that would probably turn into a bruise, but there wasn't any blood. "It looks okay. No blood or anything."

Malfoy clutched his sore shoulder, seething. "I'm going to kill that bloody asshole!"

"Er, I wouldn't mess with him right now," Harry suggested as the blond gazed up at him. "He's got a shark's head."

"So what?" Malfoy spat. "I'll crush my fist into his damn shark face!"

The blond moved quickly but Harry suddenly placed both hands on Malfoy's shoulders to stop him.

"Hey, be careful," Harry said as Malfoy stared at him, taken aback. "You shouldn't aggravate it."

"I'm fine, Potter! Now move so I can find that bloody twerp and pummel him!"

"Look! I think it's worried about you," Harry pointed.

Malfoy turned to the right to see the sapphire Ash Demon swimming toward him with its small tail propelling him rapidly through the water. It approached within inches, brushing again Malfoy's arm.

"I think it likes you," Harry said with amusement.

The blond glared at him. "Shut-up, Potter."

The creature swam in between them and Malfoy watched it with mild interest. Harry stared at the blond and felt his stomach churn with anxiety. His one hand was still grasping Malfoy's shoulder gently. The creature turned its head, coming toward Malfoy's face as it stared at him. Harry leaned forward unexpectedly until his nose was almost brushing up against the creature's tail. And his face was also inches apart from Malfoy's. The blond stared at the creature and then he locked eyes with Harry.

Harry bumped his nose against the creature's tail and the Ash Demon turned, approaching Harry's nose and bumping against it with its small snout. The creature sniffed him and suddenly licked the tip of his nose with its tongue.

Harry laughed. "It likes me!"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe it just wants to eat your nose, Potter," he drawled.

Harry gazed into Malfoy's eyes as the creature glided from between them to the side of Harry's face. Harry, however, wasn't paying attention to it anymore. His eyes stared unblinking into Malfoy's as their faces were inches apart and the Ash Demon was no longer between them. Harry's short bangs billowed in the water as his green eyes glimmered, gazing deeply into Malfoy's. It was so much better not having his glasses in the way. They stared into each other's eyes for only a minute, but time felt like it had slowed.

And then it happened without any warning. Harry glided forward and kissed Malfoy fiercely. It was so unexpected that Malfoy's back collided gently against the rock wall again. Harry's body brushed up against Malfoy's even as their lips remained deeply attached. It came so naturally that Harry didn't even question it. He just kissed Malfoy as though he was back in his dream again. The blond was shocked but responded gradually and soon Harry's hands were on Malfoy's shoulders and their lips were caressing passionately.

They kissed and kissed, without breaking apart. With each kiss, Harry's lips parted even more, deepening it. He felt warm hands on his lower back but he didn't stop. Harry was beginning to feel aroused and he kept kissing, wanting to feel more and more. Malfoy's fingers brushed against his tattoo on his shoulder and that seemed to bring the blond back to reality. He pushed away, breaking their kiss. Harry opened his eyes, blinking in slight confusion and suddenly realized what he had done. Malfoy's eyes were wide with shock and then the blond pushed off the wall and swam quickly toward the surface.

Harry felt his insides squirm uncomfortably and he swam after Malfoy. He couldn't deny what had happened and he couldn't make up excuses. He needed to talk to Malfoy about it. He reached the surface and already he saw the blond's back as he disappeared out the door. Harry followed quickly behind him and took the elevator up, knowing the blond would head to their room.

He was feeling uncomfortably nervous as he approached the door. He opened it and stepped inside to see the blond drying off his body rather frantically.

"Malfoy," Harry said, trying not to show his anxiety.

The blond wheeled around, throwing the towel on his bed. "What the hell was that Potter?" he raised his voice loudly. "I thought you said you weren't gay!"

"I'm not…er…I wasn't. I mean…I've only dated girls," Harry said, feeling embarrassment rise inside him.

"Then what _was_ that?" Malfoy gestured with his hands.

"I…I don't know. Ever since we…you know," Harry said, not needing to elaborate, "I've been really confused."

"Look, Potter! I'm not here for your experimentation to see if you're bloody gay! _Don't_ kiss me again!" Malfoy seethed, wheeling around and disappearing behind the portrait.

Minutes later the blond came out, dressed and then walked out of the room. Harry slumped down onto his bed. It was only nine so it was too early to go to bed so he got dressed and then headed out of the room. He stopped at a restaurant and ordered a Butterbeer and then walked around for a little while deep in thought. When he came back to the room around eleven, Malfoy still wasn't back from wherever he went. Harry changed into his pajamas, dreading that Malfoy would never want to speak to him again, and then he got into bed.

He vaguely registered Malfoy coming in a while later, but he didn't bother opening his eyes and soon fell asleep.

_There were images…memories flashing around him. He and Malfoy were fighting and then they were underwater again with the Ash Demon. There were bits and pieces but nothing more. He was kissing Kali and then he was kissing Malfoy, but the images weren't even that clear. His confusion was drowned out by the sudden splitting pain in his forehead. _

_Harry cried out trying to clutch at his scar to no avail. It burned as if something was trying to rip through his scar. _

_"Harry Potter!" a cold voice hissed. _

_The pain was getting worse now. And there was something appearing before—a vapory form that seemed to have hands and legs but there wasn't a lot of detail. The body was blurred and billowy, but Harry distinctly noticed the luminous crimson eyes staring at him. _

_"You will not defeat me!" Voldemort hissed cruelly. "I will…come back…and you will suffer until your last breath!"_

_"No!" Harry shouted back. _

_Searing pain shot through his head as if a dagger had been plunged through his forehead. He needed to wake up. Voldemort's cold, hissing voice faded out but the red eyes burned into him and Harry could see the hatred and rage directed at him. _

Harry gasped, jolting up in bed. His whole body was covered in perspiration and his bangs were sticking to his forehead. Harry reached up and touched his scar uncertainly—it felt warm against his skin and he knew that he hadn't had a nightmare. Voldemort had found a way to use their link even though Voldemort wasn't in his world anymore. Light suddenly filled the room and Harry squinted.

"Potter!" Malfoy hissed sleepily. "What the hell is your problem? It's bloody six in the morning! I told you I don't like to be woken up!"

Harry swung his legs over the side of the bed that was facing Malfoy. The blond looked irritated and his hair was disheveled as he glared at him. Harry touched his scar again, staring at the floor.

"It was Voldemort."

Malfoy gazed at him with both irritation and confusion.

"I think he's trying to come back," Harry said.

"I think you're delusional," Malfoy drawled coldly.

"I'm not!" Harry raised his voice suddenly, gazing at the blond harshly. "I know the difference between a dream and Voldemort forcing himself into my mind!"

Malfoy stared at him surprised by his anger and most likely by the fact that he claimed Voldemort was trying to get into his mind.

"I'll bet he's trying to force me to go back to the Ministry and reverse what I did so he can come back," Harry continued, more to himself. "But…he couldn't possess me before yet somehow he found a way into my mind again. That's why my scar was burning the other day and—AHH!"

Harry cried out with pain and put a hand over his scar. He felt Malfoy's uncertainty mixed with shock and anxiety, but just barely. The pain was so much. Harry removed his hand and then there was so much pain he was blinded. He had squeezed his eyes shut and then he felt something on his leg. Opening his eyes as the pain began to dull he saw drops of blood. Reaching up a hand, he touched his scar and felt something wet. Bringing his hand back down, he saw blood on his fingers.

"What the…," Harry trailed off. "My scar's bleeding…It's never done that before."

"Look, Potter," Malfoy said uncertainly. "Go to the nurse's office, I'm sure they have one here. Or just go back to sleep."

"Don't you get it!" Harry shouted suddenly. "I can't go to sleep! I'll never be able to sleep unless I find a way to severe the link between me and Voldemort!"

Harry stood up, forgetting about the confusing and awkward situation between him and Malfoy. He glared at the blond harshly and Malfoy was staring at him with furrowed eyebrows with an unreadable expression.

"If Voldemort manages to get into my mind good enough he could force me to bring him back! And if that happens he'll kill me the second he gets his hands on me! And then it's back to where we started!" Harry exclaimed.

Malfoy remained silent and Harry got up and walked to the window. He touched his scar again and although there was still blood there seemed to be less of it now. He could feel Malfoy staring at his back, but he didn't turn around, nor did he say anything else. Harry knew he couldn't go back to sleep…he couldn't sleep at all—not until he figured out a way to break the link in his scar. But how was that possible?

He concentrated on what Dumbledore had revealed to him before he died. There was something about Horcruxes…Voldemort had made six of them, he believed. Dumbledore had destroyed one, and Harry had destroyed one (the Riddle diary); it was how Voldemort achieved immortality by splitting a piece of his soul and keeping it in these specific items. Was destroying them the only way to break the link in his scar? Maybe he had to take another trip to the Ministry and see if he could destroy the magical symbol engraved in the wall that sent Voldemort away in the first place.

Harry remained up, thinking over options in his head. All of them sounded impossible to him. He thought about trying to make his scar disappear, or going off in search of the rest of Voldemort's Horcruxes and destroying them. Just destroying the symbol, he was sure, wouldn't do much. His scar was the key…it was an open-doorway between him and Voldemort and even though he tried Occlumency it didn't do much. His scar throbbed constantly and Harry knew Voldemort was still connected to him, even though he couldn't hear the cruel voice.

Once it was nine in the morning, Harry finally got dressed and glanced at Malfoy's sleeping form. The blond had eventually gone back to sleep at some point. Harry turned away and walked out of the room. He went to the elevator and traveled down to the lobby where he signed out. Then he flew back toward the Embervale Academy. He was so nervous he couldn't even eat breakfast. He eventually went to the dining hall close to lunch time and ate something. He didn't notice Malfoy there and wondered if the blond had come back yet.

Harry spent most of his time in the library trying to research Horcruxes and scars, but nothing came up. By the end of the day, he was more anxious than ever and he couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts the next day.

That night he knew that he couldn't sleep so he took an energizer potion, grateful that he still had some left. Usually he used it when needing to stay up late and finish homework or something, but this time he desperately needed it. He was afraid if he even fell asleep for a minute, Voldemort would take over his mind. Harry distracted himself by studying for his N.E.W.T.s. For the first time in his life he was grateful for the amount of information they had to know. His studying time with Malfoy had paid off as well and eventually morning came around.

Harry was exhausted but he was desperate for some answers…any answers. So he skipped breakfast and went straight to the train station at eight. The train ride seemed to take forever and he stared out the window the entire trip. And for once he wasn't thinking about Malfoy. When the train finally stopped, Harry hurried off it and flew to Hogwarts as fast as he could. Most students were still sleeping since it was the beginning of their three day break before the N.E.W.T.s.

Entering the Great Hall, Harry sat down and ate something. A little while later he went back to the Gryffindor common room and sat by the fire, waiting for his friends to wake up. About a half-hour later, Hermione came down from the girls' dorm, carrying several large books in her arms.

"Harry!" she cried out, surprised. "I didn't think you'd be back so soon!"

"Hermione, I have something serious to talk to you about," Harry said bluntly.

Her smile faded and she came to sit on the couch beside him. "What is it? Are you worried about the N.E.W.T.s?"

"No, it's Voldemort," he said, as her eyes widened.

"What? Is he…he's not back is he?" she asked shakily.

"No, at least not yet," Harry said grimly. "He got into my mind a couple nights ago and told me he was going to find a way back. He said he was going to make me suffer. And…then my scar bled."

Hermione gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh Merlin…I…what does this mean, Harry?"

"It means that if I don't find a way to break the link in my scar that allows the connection between us, he'll most likely find a way to control me or brainwash me into bringing him back."

"Oh Harry! What are you going to do?"

"Hermione, do you know anything about Horcruxes? It's how Voldemort obtained immortality by splitting his soul and putting pieces into items."

Hermione shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, Harry. I don't know anything about it."

Harry slumped back against the couch in defeat. "I don't know what to do then, Hermione. I was thinking that if I destroyed his Horcruxes, maybe it'd work, but…even the possibility of finding them all and being able to destroy them is nearly impossible."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Harry, you could talk to Dumbledore!"

"What? Hermione, he's dead."

"No, I mean, I know that, but his portrait is in his office. Remember that secret passage we found months ago—the one that led into his office? We never thought we'd need to use it, but you could to go talk to him."

Harry nodded. "Yeah. It's still early so I'm sure Professor McGonagall is in the Great Hall. Good idea, Hermione. Thanks."

She nodded and watched him leave the common room. He went up a couple flights and then to the statue of Hogwarts' first headmaster. Twisting the wand in the statue's hand twice, Harry then pressed the nose and the statue moved aside to reveal a passageway. Harry slipped into it and it closed behind him. The passage twisted and turned rather sharply but it wasn't all that long until he came to the marking of a phoenix on the wall at the end. Harry tapped his wand three times on it and the phoenix's eyes glowed before the wall spread apart.

Stepping into the room, the wall closed back up again and Harry stared at the familiar office. Taking in a large breath, he approached the portrait of a sleeping Dumbledore. He tapped his wand against the frame and Dumbledore's eyes slowly opened.

"Harry," Dumbledore greeted, smiling gently.

"Dumbledore, I have something important I need to discuss with you," Harry said. "It's about Voldemort's Horcruxes."

Dumbledore's expression turned grave but Harry continued. "You might have heard but I managed to send Voldemort off out of our world. He's still alive and for some time he couldn't get back, but just a couple nights ago he found a way into my mind. My scar even bled," Harry explained.

"It's no doubt because Voldemort is using everything he can to get into your mind," Dumbledore said grimly.

"But…I mean is the only way to keep him from returning to destroy all his Horcruxes? I wouldn't even know where to begin!" Harry exclaimed. "I mean, can't I just destroy that magical symbol in the Ministry room?"

"No, you can't, Harry," Dumbledore said, staring at him sadly. "As much as it seems to be the easiest solution, it's just not possible. That room, you see, was actually there during Merlin's time, except that it was underground. When the Ministry chose that spot for its building decades later, the room was combined into it, accidentally of course. No one knew about it at that time."

"What exactly is it?" Harry asked.

Breathing deeply, Dumbledore sat up in his seat within the portrait. "I began taking an interest in that room during my teens when I was at Hogwarts. I had heard about it through an auror friend and started researching it. Harry, have you ever heard of _The Enchanted Room_?"

Harry's eyebrows furrowed with curiosity. "No, what's that?"

"It's a children's tale about a brother and sister who discover an unknown and mysterious power. They find a room buried deep beneath the ground that shows them unexpected things. They become so enamored with it that they discover a very dangerous power—the power to cross into a different realm. The children get sucked up into it and never return. The moral is of course 'be careful what you wish for', because the children wished to know the secrets of the room and they wanted to see more. The story is about greed—that the search for power is addictive and dangerous; that mysterious room that the children loved had unforeseen consequences.

"The story was passed down even before Merlin's time. It was a tale that hadn't been written yet, because it was dated so far back, but it was told by mouth. The very first person to ever tell the story was a man named Exodius. I believe, though am not positive, that from my research Exodius was the ancestor of Merlin. And therefore I believe he was probably one of the first few humans to have realized magic. I doubt he could've done much, especially without a wand during those times, but it's very possible he had some sort of ability—whether it was foresight or something else entirely, I can't be sure.

"Some tales in the wizard world are based entirely on truth, Harry," Dumbledore explained quietly. "Some of them reveal legends that many feel could never be real, because there is still so much about magic and our existence that we don't understand. And we may never find all the answers. But I am sure that the room inside the Ministry is the same room that Exodius refers to in his story, which was much darker when he told it but now is told to kids as a sort of fairy-tale about being careful when it comes to magic. And so I believe that room holds the key to another realm—another world—in which we are never supposed to enter. Just like in the story with the children, I believe there's no way to return from it, if the doorway is ever discovered, as I believe you have done."

"Then, how come Voldemort…?" Harry trailed off.

"It is your scar, Harry. Your scar is yet another mystery. If I am not mistaken, which I don't believe I am, Voldemort accidentally created a seventh Horcrux the night he tried to kill you."

His heart nearly stopped in his chest and Harry stared at Dumbledore with wide eyes. "…_me_?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Your scar is like another doorway, Harry, because it holds a piece of Voldemort's soul within you. Normally, trying to escape from another realm—something no one comprehends—is impossible, like in the story, but Voldemort is unique, Harry. He is the first person to successfully make Horcruxes and become somewhat immortal. And he is unique because he can use you as a gateway from whatever realm or world he has been sucked into. You are almost like a portal…you see? This could've never been predicted, because no one has ever been a Horcrux, Harry. And no one has ever unlocked that mysterious room before."

"How is it that I managed to?" Harry asked quietly, still stunned.

"It is my belief that when Voldemort marked you as his equal that night and accidentally made you a Horcrux, the bond between you has made your powers unbelievably strong in his presence. Therefore, when Voldemort was attacking you in that very room, you probably were somehow able to sense the power in that room from the shared bond between you. And that is why you are the only person thus far to have unlocked it."

Harry swallowed, feeling rather nauseous. "I…what do I do then? How do I prevent Voldemort from using me as a gateway to get back here?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "There is only one way to severe the bond between you, Harry. And that is to destroy the Horcrux within you."

"You mean…no, that can't be the only way! I have to die?" Harry raised his voice with fear.

"There is no other way," Dumbledore said quietly. "The Horcrux must be destroyed."

"But…what about all his other Horcruxes? Would they have to be destroyed too?" Harry asked weakly.

"I don't believe so, Harry. Without the link between you two, Voldemort would not be able to come back to our world. I'm not positive what could happen, but it is possible that being in a completely different realm might break the Horcruxes, considering the pieces of his soul wouldn't be able to sense their source—Voldemort's body. Even if they don't break and release the pieces of his soul, he will still be stuck there. And most likely he'll be stuck there for eternity."

Harry shivered, trying not to imagine if he was stuck in an unfamiliar world, unable to die and unable to escape. He stared down at the floor and then back into Dumbledore's grave face. Weakly, he nodded his thanks to his former mentor and headed out the front door. He trudged down the hall and slumped against a wall. So the only way to stop Voldemort was to die…

Harry thought about Malfoy and about his realization of his feelings for the blond. Now there'd never be a solution between them. He'd never be able to talk to him and try to work things out, or understand what's going on between them. And Ron and Hermione…he'd never see them again. And how would he tell them he had to die? He supposed he could make a Will…

"Hold on…," Harry whispered aloud. "Dumbledore didn't say that _I _had to die. He just said the Horcrux needed to be destroyed. Perhaps…maybe there's a way to destroy the Horcrux within me without dying!"

Harry thought about it for a while slumped against the wall. Dumbledore said Harry was the first Horcrux…the first wizard, or human being rather, to become one. And if the Horcrux made Harry more powerful against Voldemort, maybe that meant that it would protect him from death; perhaps if the killing curse were shot at him, it might destroy the Horcrux and leave him alive. But then again, there was a chance that he wouldn't be protected from death.

_Unless…_

Harry jolted down the hallway and headed for the library, hoping that Hermione was there. When he reached the library, he found her at one of the back tables studying.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed quietly.

She jumped, startled and gazed up at him. "Harry, how did it go?"

"Er, okay, look I need you to tell me something," he said, sitting down across from her.

She closed her book and nodded. "Alright…I'll do my best."

"Let's say they are two different people—one's powerful, like Voldemort or Dumbledore, and then another is a teenager or someone less powerful. If both know how to cast the killing curse and effectively use the curse, would there be different effects, say, if they both shot at the same person?"

Hermione leaned forward in thought, furrowing her eyebrows. "In theory…every wizard and witch has a unique wand. And the wand chooses the person because it acts differently with them than anyone else. So…technically, according to the laws of Magical Phenomena, the strength of the curses _would_ differ, even though the two can effectively cast it."

"You're brilliant, Hermione!" Harry exclaimed. "Thanks so much!"

"Oh, you're welcome," she said, beaming.

Harry jumped up from the chair and ran out of the library. It was his only shot. If for some reason it didn't work, well…he'd still prevent Voldemort from coming back. The only way to know if it'd work was to test it out. And he knew exactly who he needed.

He entered the Great Hall and saw Ron stuffing his face with food. Ginny glanced up and waved at him, causing Ron to turn.

" 'arry!" he exclaimed with a mouthful of food.

"Hi Ron, bye Ron," Harry said quickly, walking away and leaving Ron with his mouth dangling open.

He passed by Luna who glanced up at him and smiled and then pointed diagonally. "He's over there," she said in her usual wispy, far-away tone.

Harry looked in the direction she pointed and saw Malfoy eating breakfast. "Thanks," he said to her and approached the place where the blond was seated.

"Malfoy," Harry said quietly.

The blond snapped his head up and glared at him. "Potter! Leave me alone!"

"Listen to me, this is serious," Harry hissed quietly. "After breakfast meet me on the seventh floor across from the tapestry of those trolls dancing."

"Why the hell would I meet you anywhere?" Malfoy snapped quietly.

"I told you, it's urgent!" Harry exclaimed. "Just do this one thing for me and I'll leave you alone, alright?"

Malfoy stared at him harshly and then scowled. "Fine, Potter!"

Harry nodded his thanks and then walked away. He stopped by the area where Ron was.

"Harry! Why were you over there with ferret-face?" Ron exclaimed.

"Sorry, Ron. I was just, er…giving him a message from someone," he said, not elaborating. "Look, I have to go study so I'll see you later."

Ron opened his mouth to retort, but Harry already got up and walked out of the Great Hall. He went up to the seventh floor and waited for Malfoy. Vaguely, he had a plan in mind, but it still wasn't going to be easier. And it certainly wasn't guaranteed to work. He just hoped that Malfoy would show.

About twenty or so minutes later, Harry heard footsteps and he eased off the wall to see Malfoy walking down the hall.

"This better not be a trick, Potter!"

"It's not," Harry said, waiting until the blond stopped about five feet away.

"What the hell do you want?"

Harry walked to the wall across from the tapestry and concentrated hard. A doorway appeared and Malfoy stared at it suspiciously.

"The Room of Requirement? What are you plotting, Potter?"

"Please, Malfoy, just come inside! I told you, I'll leave you alone if you do this one thing. I promise you it's not a trick or anything," Harry urged, stepping inside the doorway.

Malfoy hesitated, but he gradually walked forward. He waited until Harry was already inside before he stepped in as well. The door slowly closed behind them. The room appeared as a tower with thick walls that glimmered and soft, red-carpeted floors. There's wasn't a piece of furniture in sight.

"Was is this?" Malfoy snapped.

"Okay…Malfoy, I need you to do me a favor," Harry said, stepping closer as he put his hands together. "Please, don't think I'm crazy."

"Too late, Potter," Malfoy drawled coolly. "What the hell do you want?"

Biting his lip, Harry swallowed. "Er, Malfoy…I want you to…to cast the killing curse on me."

"Have you lost it, Potter?" Malfoy bellowed with wide eyes. "Do you want me to go to Azkaban?" he shouted.

"Don't worry. I wished for a room that would be completely sound-proof and magically undetectable so that way no one will ever know you even used the curse," Harry said.

"You…you're _mad_!" Malfoy shouted, taking a couple steps back. "I'm _not_ going to help you commit suicide, Potter!"

"It's not suicide!" Harry retorted. "In theory, I shouldn't die!"

"In theory?" Malfoy bellowed. "Potter, the killing curse _kills_, or don't you realize that?"

"It shouldn't work on me, Malfoy! If Voldemort were to do it, I'd probably die, but even if you effectively cast it, it should only destroy the Horcrux and not me," Harry said.

"_What_ the bloody hell is a Horcrux?" Malfoy snapped.

"I don't have time to explain! Look, just _please_ do it! I won't die, alright? I really need you to do this."

"_NO!_" Malfoy bellowed angrily. "If you do die, Potter, I'll be sent to Azkaban for the rest of my life! Or worse! I'd probably get the Dementor's Kiss for killing _you_ of all people!"

"Fine, here," Harry said, wishing for a piece of magical parchment. He scribbled something down and tossed it to the blond. "I wrote on this enchanted parchment saying that I asked you to kill me, if I should die. And besides, if the Ministry questions you with Veritaserum, they'll know I asked you to do this. And if they still don't believe you, tell them to talk to Dumbledore's portrait, he'll tell them everything."

"You…you and Dumbledore _plotted_ this?"

"Not exactly, but Dumbledore can be a witness for you. He knows why I'm doing this. I promise you, if I do die you won't get blamed for it."

Malfoy was breathing heavily, his eyes still wide as he stared at Harry, speechless. After several minutes of staring at one another, the blond shook his head harshly.

"You're bloody insane, Potter! Bloody stupid and insane!"

Slowly, the blond pulled out his wand and Harry could feel the severe anxiety coming off from him. Harry felt grateful that Malfoy didn't seem to want to kill him.

"I can't believe I'm bloody doing this!" Malfoy exclaimed harshly.

He raised his wand and pointed it uncertainly toward Harry. For a minute he just stood there in silence. Harry could sense the blond's inner turmoil, but finally Malfoy blurted out: "Avada Kedavra!"

He said it quickly and a small jet of green light shot out toward Harry. It hit him and instantly Harry's nose bled. Wiping the blood on his sleeve, Harry stared at him calmly.

"You have to mean it. Think of someone you really, really hate—someone you want to cause pain to no matter what."

Malfoy shakily raised his wand again. "Avada Kedavra!"

It hit Harry in the chest and he stumbled a bit, but it only caused his nose to bleed again.

"Come on, Malfoy, are you a Slytherin or not?" Harry challenged.

"Shut-up, Potter! I'm trying my best!" he shouted furiously.

The blond's eyes narrowed and he stared at Harry intensely for a whole thirty seconds. Harry noticed Malfoy's grip on his wand tightened.

"Avada Kedavra!"

A long stream of green light erupted from the wand. Harry wasn't even aware that it hit him. There was pain—intense, burning pain that flared up in his chest and scar. He heard a scream of fury—a hissing, cold, furious voice that wasn't his or Malfoy's. The searing pain intensified and Harry felt as if his skull was on fire.

When the pain ebbed away, Harry felt something soft beneath him. He opened his eyes to see that he was lying on his side on the red carpet.

"Oh Merlin! What have I done? I'm dead!" Malfoy's frantic voice echoed throughout the room.

Groaning, Harry moved and turned over to see the blond clutching at his hair, pacing around.

"Relax, Malfoy," Harry said, causing the blond to whirl around. "I told you I wouldn't die," Harry said gently, slowly getting to his feet.

"Merlin, Potter! I thought you had died! Don't _ever_ do that to me again!" Malfoy bellowed.

The blond's cheeks were red and Harry figured it was from a mixture of fear and remorse, thinking that he had actually murdered Harry.

"I'm sorry, I was sure it'd…," Harry trailed off as a flare of pain erupted in his chest.

Harry clutched at his chest and then collapsed to his knees.

"Potter! That's not funny!" Malfoy snapped.

"I'm not…doing this on purpose!" Harry said, feeling like he couldn't breathe.

Malfoy stared at him and his anger faded and was replaced with fear again. "Potter, I…let's go to the Hospital Wing."

"No, she…she can't help…," Harry wheezed. "It's the Horcrux…I think…it's coming out," he choked.

Harry's fingers curled into the carpet as his scar seared with blinding pain. His chest felt as if it was caving in and Harry cried out with pain. His knuckles were turning white from clutching the carpet so hard. He opened his eyes and stared at the carpet and he could see a green light shining on it. Feeling the flare of pain in his scar again, Harry realized that his scar was glowing. Malfoy realized it too for he was staring with shock. Suddenly, pain ripped throughout his body and Harry cried out again. Something black and vapory escaped from his body through his scar.

The pain vanished and Harry breathed heavily, lifting his head weakly to see the black vapor float in the air before it too vanished. Harry sat back on his heels and took in deep breaths. He couldn't believe it—it seemed to have worked. The real test would be that night. If Voldemort didn't come into his head and his scar didn't throb even a little, then it had worked.

A bit unsteadily, Harry stood up and stared at Malfoy, who still stood rigidly. "Thanks," he said.

Malfoy's muscles seemed to relax a bit and the blond stared at him coolly. "Don't ever ask me for a favor like that again!"

"I won't, trust me. I doubt I'd be able to survive now," Harry said, walking toward him. "Do you…want me to explain?"

Malfoy crossed his arms. "Go ahead, Potter. You owe me that much."

Harry nodded. "Alright, but I need to sit down."

He summoned a couch and went to sit on it. Malfoy hesitantly approached it as well and leaned back against it. Harry turned to him and explained to him about Voldemort's Horcruxes and how it made him immortal. And then he told Malfoy that the night Voldemort tried to kill him, because his mother's sacrifice protected him, Voldemort accidentally released a piece of his soul into Harry, making him a Horcrux.

"So, the only way to prevent Voldemort from coming back was to destroy the Horcrux. I needed someone to cast the killing curse, and I figured you'd be my best chance," Harry finished.

"I'm touched," Malfoy drawled sarcastically.

"Look," Harry said, scooting closer to him. "I'm sorry to have burdened you with it. But just think," he said, reaching out to touch Malfoy's shoulder, "you've helped save the world. How does it feel?"

Harry patted his shoulder, smiling slightly and Malfoy just stared at him. "Fabulous," Malfoy drawled coolly, his tone obviously sarcastic. "Just what I've always wanted—to be just like the famous Harry Potter."

"Yeah, now all we need is to draw a scar," Harry grinned, reaching up a hand to trace a lightning bolt on Malfoy's forehead with his index finger.

Malfoy caught his wrist, stilling Harry's finger which remained on the blond's forehead. The blond stared at him firmly. Their eyes were locked together and Harry's smile faded into an uncertain expression.

_I wish we couldn't leave here until I figure out if Malfoy's attracted to me or not._

The room suddenly shifted and both he and Malfoy turned, startled. Malfoy dropped Harry's wrist.

"What's going on?" Malfoy exclaimed, standing up.

Harry stood up as well and watched as the door leading out of the room vanished and the tower turned into a large sitting room with a vaulted ceiling. A fireplace appeared on one end and a plush leather couch came out of no where facing it. The walls became polished wood and the floor remained a velvety-carpet, only the color changed to black. The room was much dimmer now and floating candles appeared in each corner of the room.

"Maybe…maybe because we no longer needed the room it changed," Harry suggested, even though he knew it had changed because of his wish.

"I've never known it to do that," Malfoy said, searching around for an escape. "I didn't know it could trap people inside of it."

"Neither did I. Maybe it's temporary," Harry said. "I mean, it can't keep us in here forever."

"Who the bloody hells knows!" Malfoy shouted furiously, pounding his fist on the wall where the door used to be. "Goddamn it! Things like this always happen when I'm with you, Potter! First I'm kidnapped with you and now I'm stuck in this bloody room with you!"

"You're right it's _always_ my fault for everything! I didn't ask to be kidnapped, nor for you to be there when it happened!" Harry snapped.

Malfoy angrily stomped over to the couch and slumped down onto it. Harry calmed his breathing and allowed his anger to subside. Then he approached the couch hesitantly and glanced at Malfoy.

"Look, let's not fight and just work together to find a way out, alright?"

"Right, Potter," Malfoy drawled with irritation.

Harry's stomach was churning again and it only got worse as he sat down on the couch near Malfoy. He kept a distance between them, but it didn't help much. The blond became restless and got up and began shooting spells and hexes around the room. He even used "incendio" to try and burst a hole through the wall, but it collided with a puff of smoke and left no mark.

"Potter, are you going to help or not?" Malfoy snapped, staring heatedly at him.

Harry shrugged. "It's pointless so why waste energy?"

"Because, otherwise we'll rot in here!" Malfoy bellowed.

"I'm sure someone will notice our disappearance soon and eventually they'll find us, if we can't get out on our own," Harry said. "Er, Malfoy…can we talk?"

The blond stopped walking around the room and turned to stare at him. "Look, Potter, just because you're bored doesn't mean we can sit around and talk about Quidditch or the weather! We should be doing everything we can to get out! I haven't even eaten dinner!"

"Wish for some," Harry suggested.

Malfoy clenched his jaw and glared at him. Then he straightened his shoulders and seconds later a table appeared next to the couch with a variety of food.

"I thought the Room of Requirement couldn't produce food," Malfoy drawled.

"Not unless you absolutely need it. Those who tried only did so because they weren't trapped in here, so they didn't need it. But since we're trapped…it's different," Harry shrugged.

Malfoy put his wand away and sat down at the table, scooping food onto an empty plate. Harry waited for him to eat something before he spoke again.

"Malfoy, when I meant talk…we need to discuss something."

The blond gulped down the pumpkin juice that had appeared and then pushed the plate away, even though it still had food on it.

"What, Potter?" Malfoy drawled.

Harry swallowed nervously and turned on the couch so that he was looking at Malfoy. The blond gazed at him with impatience.

"Malfoy, I…we need to talk about…you know…what's happened between us," Harry managed to get out.

Instantly, the blond's eyes narrowed and Harry felt the blond's uncertainty. "Potter, I told you never to mention that!"

"It's just us two in here," Harry gestured. "Look, we need to talk about it. We can't just keep avoiding it."

"There's nothing to talk about! It's never going to happen again so just forget it ever did! We were delusional, Potter! Or at least _I_ was. I was on the brink of starvation and dehydration!" Malfoy exclaimed.

"Is that seriously your excuse?" Harry snapped heatedly. "You're either delusional, smashed or temporarily insane? It doesn't work like that and you know it! There's obviously something going on!"

"_Nothing_ is going on, Potter!" Malfoy shouted, slamming his drink on the table.

"You call having sex twice nothing? Look, Malfoy, you can make all the excuses you want, but not even Crabbe and Goyle would believe it!"

"Just because you're apparently gay, Potter, doesn't mean that something's going on between us," Malfoy drawled coldly.

Harry clenched his fists. "Malfoy! This doesn't have to do with me possibly being gay or the fact that we're both blokes. Even if you and I both _aren't_ gay, there's some sort of attraction that's occurring. It may just be a physical thing, or maybe it…it just depends on the situation we're in at the time," he said as the blond stared at him intensely, "but if we continue to avoid this, it could get worse or…we might even…"

"I told you that would _never_ happen again!" Malfoy hissed. "Don't you get it, Potter? I don't like you! I never have and I never will, especially not like that!"

"Then why have we had sex twice? And don't use those lame excuses!" Harry shouted, before Malfoy could open his mouth. "People get smashed all the time, Malfoy! You just don't shag the first person you see when you're smashed, that's not how it works. Some people do have sex, but usually there's some sort of attraction, like flirtation or something while they're drinking before that happens. And when we were stranded that's even _less_ believable! Starving isn't going to make you go so delusional and insane that you suddenly shag the person you aren't attracted to! Especially since we were only stranded for a few days, so that's impossible!"

Malfoy was staring at him with narrowed eyes and his hand was clenched around his drink, but he didn't say anything right away.

"And just in case you're thinking of more excuses," Harry said darkly, "the Veelas can't make people have sex. They can arouse you, yes, but being aroused doesn't mean you have sex with the closest person to you. If you're really as experienced as you say you are, then you know what I'm saying is true.

"Malfoy, I _know_ we don't like each other, alright? I know we fight all the time and we don't get along. We've never been friends, not even close," Harry said as the blond continued to breathe deeply and gaze at him. "I'm not telling you that you're gay because this happened between us nor am I saying you like me, but…there's still something—whatever it is—that is occurring between us. It might just be that we've both suppressed feelings and have been too preoccupied with school so it was all bottled up, I don't know. But I do know that we can't just pretend like it never happened. If we find out why it happened—the source of it—then we can solve it and that way it won't happen again."

Harry wanted to add 'if we don't want it to', but he knew that would make Malfoy furious.

"And there's something else I didn't tell you before," Harry continued.

"What?" Malfoy asked coolly.

"It's about the Pond of Desires," Harry said, as he felt the blond's suspicion rise. "I didn't tell you before, because I didn't want to admit it, but the Pond of Desires is called that because when a person drinks it or enters it, the magic in the water latches onto their inner or suppressed desires and releases them. That means that since we both fell into the water and we…kissed and stuff," Harry said hesitantly, "that there had to have been some sort of attraction for it to have happened at all. The Pond can't _make_ us be attracted to one another if we're not."

"What the hell are you saying, Potter? That we both had to have a crush on one another in order for the Pond to make us snog?" Malfoy snapped.

"Not necessarily a crush, Malfoy. An attraction can be a number of things," Harry said, as calmly as he could. "It can be purely physical—"

"I told you I'm not gay, Potter!" Malfoy interrupted.

"Okay, but physical could mean…like tolerable, or something. It doesn't have to necessarily mean you're attracted to blokes," Harry said. "Or it could be something like…when we were stranded, maybe we were attracted by the sense that we both were stranded and in danger and it was a way to…forget about our predicament."

Malfoy unclenched his glass and leaned back in his seat. "And how are we supposed to figure out what caused it, Potter? Get stranded again and see if it happens?"

"No. I don't know what to do. I just don't think avoiding it or forgetting about it is going to make it go away," Harry said.

"If it's because of the predicament, Potter, then it won't be happening again," Malfoy drawled coolly. "The likelihood of us getting stranded is slim. And if we stay away from one another for good then it'll never happen."

Harry felt his stomach clench with disappointment and he swallowed, making sure to choose his words carefully.

"And then what happens if one day, months or years from now, we bump into one another randomly on the street. Do you want to take the risk that it'll happen again? I mean, be realistic, Malfoy. We both go to Hogsmeade and take the train and we both will probably stay in the area until we find suitable careers. If we solve this now and not just try to avoid confronting one another, then we wouldn't ever have to worry about accidentally meeting by coincidence."

"What the hell do you propose, Potter?" Malfoy snapped. "Try to find a potion that can tell us what was going on in our heads when it happened?"

"I…well, if we just figure out whether there is really a legitimate attraction or not, it might solve the problem. And the only way to do that is to see if…," Harry hesitated, "if we like one another or not."

"Wha—? You…Are you suggesting that we _go out_, Potter?" Malfoy sputtered in shock, staring at with wide disbelieving eyes.

"Er, it might be the only way to figure out what's going on and why we had sex," Harry said.

"Are you ruddy insane?" Malfoy bellowed. "We are not going to _date_!"

"Malfoy, we've already had _sex_ for Merlin's sake! It's not like we have to broadcast it in the Daily Prophet!" Harry retorted.

"You…you're bloody insane! I'm not agreeing to it!"

"Just hear me out, Malfoy," Harry raised his voice, staring at him firmly. "Please."

The blond gripped his glass again but he leaned back and crossed his arms. "Make it quick."

"If we go out," Harry began as Malfoy made a noise in the back of his throat but thankfully didn't say anything, "we might be able to figure out this…attraction, or whatever it is. Maybe by doing this it will make it all blow over. It doesn't have to be for long, Malfoy. Like…maybe a couple of weeks or something."

"And how is it going to solve the problem?" Malfoy spat.

"Because by being forced to be together we'll have to confront whatever it is. So, if there is an attraction, we find out what it is and why it's there and then we'll be able to deal with it. But if we ignore it, it could blow up in our faces. And instead of worrying about whether our bodies are just going to act on impulse and we'll end up in the same mess again, we might as well confront it now."

"Potter, I told you I'm not gay," Malfoy said. "And even if we try this out, it's not guaranteed to work. What if it solves nothing?"

"Then at least we've tried to figure out what it is. Maybe if nothing's solved that means that…er…if we're not attracted to each other, but we're still having…problems, then it's obviously something else entirely."

"Like a love potion?" Malfoy drawled.

Harry shook his head. "No. We wouldn't be able to think for ourselves. What I mean is that if we try this and for some reason it doesn't work or we don't figure out what's behind it or even if it doesn't go away, say, if you or I meet some girl—"

"Or bloke in your case," Malfoy drawled as he propped his foot up on the table.

"Whatever," Harry retorted. "If none of that works after we try this then we'll go with your option of just trying to stay out of each other's lives and it might eventually just go away, or we'll forget about it."

"And why can't we do that again?" Malfoy drawled.

"I told you why. There's a better chance at solving the problem by confronting it," Harry said, feeling rather frustrated.

Malfoy scooted his chair backward and stalked toward him. Harry remained seated on the couch and watched him nervously.

"Alright, listen Potter," Malfoy hissed as he pointed at him. "If we try this ridiculous and insane idea of yours, there are going to be rules."

"Rules?"

"Yes! As in, we keep this completely private. No body is to find out! If we're going to solve this problem, we do so without anybody knowing. That means, if we're to meet in school we meet here in the Room of Requirement. And outside of school, I'll be the one to choose places where we won't bump into people we know, got it?"

"Yeah," Harry said, not wanting to argue.

Malfoy seemed satisfied enough and he put his hand down. "Fine! We'll do this _temporarily_, Potter. No more than two weeks! And if your idea doesn't work we're going with mine."

"Deal," Harry said, sticking out his hand.

For a second, Malfoy just stared at his hand. Reluctantly, the blond reached out his hand and shook Harry's briefly. Seconds after their hands detached the walls began to shift and Malfoy wheeled around. Harry stood up off the couch and watched as the room shrank and all furniture and food disappeared. Then the door appeared in front of them as the room became empty.

"It's about bloody time!" Malfoy exclaimed, heading for the door. "Remember, Potter! You don't breathe a word of this to anyone!"

"I know," Harry said.

Malfoy stared at him briefly and then opened the door and walked out. Harry followed behind him, thankful that the hallway was clear. It was already after dinner so Harry went to the familiar painting, tickled the pear, and slipped into the kitchen to get food from the House Elves. Then he crept carefully back to the Gryffindor common room with food in his arms. Several people were in the common room. Seamus, Dean and Neville were playing some sort of game with pieces that erupted in smoke. A few others that Harry didn't recognize were sitting by the fire. And Ginny and her friend, a girl Harry wasn't familiar with, were seated next to one another, talking.

"Harry!" Ginny smiled, getting up to greet him.

"Hi Ginny," Harry greeted.

"How come you didn't stay at dinner?" she asked, glancing at the food he was carrying.

"I went to study," Harry lied, shrugging. "Er, I should probably go upstairs and study some more before bed."

He could feel Ginny's disappointment but she just nodded and gave him a weak smile. "Alright. Goodnight then."

"Night," Harry said, heading up the stairs.

He ate his food slowly as he studied the notes he had taken. When he got to the notes that he had written down when studying with Malfoy, his thoughts then drifted to the blond. He couldn't believe that he had suggested they date. And Malfoy had agreed. Harry wasn't sure how it was going to work out, but he hoped that things would become clearer soon. He was quite sure he liked Malfoy, but he still wasn't sure if it was just a physical attraction, or if it was something more. He did agree with Malfoy on one thing—it would be too awkward and embarrassing if people found out, especially Ron and Hermione. And hopefully he and Malfoy could get along well enough to get through the next couple of weeks. Harry couldn't even image what it was going to be like.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

To Reviewers: 

**FlashDrive: **Lol! It's alright! Don't feel bad. I appreciate that you review every couple of chapters at least, so don't worry. Yeah, I know! Harry and Draco did kind of get into a relationship quickly in Captivation. That's why I wanted to take this one slower and make it even more realistic to the personalities they have in the books. I know! I was thinking the same thing! I think Thestrals are so cool! I'm glad you liked it! I will update asap!

**Missy Padfoot: **Aw, thanks so much! Yes, you're right. If one person is happy then I'm satisfied. I try to have that motto for everything. Besides, I hate leaving stories unfinished. Yeah, I know poor Malfoy. I'm giving him such a hard time and putting him in situations where he can't claim denial. Hehe! I'm glad you think it's realistic. That's what I was going for and that's also why it's taking longer for the romance to blossom. I will update asap!!

**Hkph: **Aww, thanks! I'm glad you liked Harry's tattoo! Yes, Harry does feel a connection with Thestrals! That's why I thought it'd be perfect for him. Yes, slowly Draco is being forced to open up to Harry, hehe! And soon he won't be able to claim denial any longer. I'll update asap!

**Misstree: **Thanks! I'm glad you liked the tattoo! Oh, but Draco can see the tattoo. Harry was asking him if Malfoy could see real-life Thestrals and the blond said he couldn't. But the tattoo isn't a real one so people can see it. It's just that the woman there had never seen one so she didn't know what to draw, but the owner knew what they looked like. Sorry for the confusion. And yes, they're finally slowly getting together! I'll update asap!


	18. Chemistry part 1

**Pure Rhapsody**

_**WARNING:**_** Sexual content between males.**

**Chapter 17: Chemistry (part 1)**

Harry was considerably nervous the next day. He didn't know how to act around Malfoy and he wasn't sure how things would work out. In fact, he wasn't even sure what he _wanted_ to happen. The assumed meeting time in the Room of Requirement was after dinner when most students would be studying in the library for N.E.W.T.s. or in their common rooms, which would make it easier to slip into the Room unnoticed.

Hermione and Ginny seemed to notice his quieter mood, but he didn't give anything away. Ginny asked him if he was upset that she was dating someone else and again he told her wasn't. He lied to the both of them and said he was stressed about the N.E.W.T.s. He wasn't sure if it was possible to keep the truth hidden forever. Then again, he doubted that Malfoy would want to put up with him forever. It was strange…but Harry couldn't help thinking that it would be strange to graduate from Hogwarts and never see or speak to Malfoy again; it gave him an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Dinner came around and Harry caught sight of Malfoy sitting next to a couple blokes who were chatting a lot about something. Malfoy seemed vaguely interested and Harry had to turn for fear that Malfoy might spot him staring.

"Harry, you okay?" Ron asked, glancing at him.

"Er, yeah."

"Are you ready for the N.E.W.T.s? I can't believe it's in two bloody days! And then graduation is only five days after that! Can you imagine that we'll actually be leaving Hogwarts for good?" Ron babbled.

Harry shook his head. "No, I can't. It'll be weird."

"Yeah it bloody will be! And I have no idea what I'm going to do! Are you still going to be an Auror?"

"No," Harry shrugged. "It doesn't seem like something I'd enjoy. Most people probably expect that out of me, but I honestly don't want to have anything to do with the Dark Arts anymore; not directly at least."

"So what're you planning to do then?" Ron asked curiously, stuffing a large piece of bread in his mouth.

"Dunno. I think…I kind of wanted to study sorcery because that seems interesting. And you know, it doesn't deal with the Dark Arts directly. It's mainly just learning about all types of magic in the world in a private setting."

"True," Ron said after swallowing, "but it doesn't pay much at all. I mean, it's bloody hard to find a good job in sorcery. Most people who study sorcery go on to read books, but there're so many books out there nowadays it might be hard to write about something that hasn't already been written. And now with the war over people don't really need specialized sorcerers to help in battle. 'Course it would've been nice to have some _during_ the war," he muttered as an after-thought.

"That's because they're rare."

Both Harry and Ron turned to Hermione who had been listening in on their conversation.

"It's not only because it's hard to find a living being a sorcerer, unless you teach at a school like Hogwarts, which is what Dumbledore did. But sorcerers were more popular in the day when there weren't such things as Aurors. Now aurors are like a mild form of a sorcerer so people just don't bother spending many more years and private practicing studying the full art of sorcery," Hermione explained. "It's quite sad, but if you're really interested in sorcery Harry you should go for it. You should do whatever interests you and makes you happy."

"Yeah, but he'll starve," Ron argued. "What the hell will he do with sorcery?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure there's more than teaching," Hermione retorted. "I mean who knows, what with being famous on top of being a sorcerer I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find a job."

Ron shrugged, still not convinced. Harry thought about what Hermione said and put it to the back of his mind. He really didn't want to worry about the future quite yet.

"I'm going to go study," Harry said, getting up.

"Good idea, Harry," Hermione beamed.

Ron rolled his eyes and then stabbed his chicken with his fork. Harry walked out of the Great Hall and toward the floor where the Room of Requirement was located. He thought of a private place for him and Malfoy to meet and soon the wall opened for him, revealing a similar room as before. There were two black couches, a fireplace, a vaulted ceiling and sound-proof concrete walls. Harry slumped down on the nearest couch wondering what to do about Malfoy. He had proposed to find a solution to their…dilemma, but he really had no idea what to do. He had just said that at the spur-of-the-moment. And how was it that they were going to date while they only met after dinner in a secluded Room?

The door to the Room opened and Harry sat up straight as Malfoy walked in. The blond caught sight of him and then headed for the couch opposite him.

"No body knows that we're meeting, right Potter?" Malfoy drawled.

"No," Harry said firmly.

"Good," he said, sitting down. "Look, Potter, despite your ridiculous idea that we spend time together, I can assure you there's no attraction. I'm not gay and I would never do anything with another bloke, willingly that is."

Harry's anger boiled and he narrowed his eyes. Malfoy was again trying to escape confronting the issue.

"If you wouldn't ever do anything with blokes, then what about you and Blaise?" Harry blurted out.

Malfoy's head jerked toward him and the blond stared at him intensely. "What the hell do you mean, Potter?"

Swallowing, Harry realized he had already given away that he knew about it so he couldn't deny it. He'd just have to lie about how he found out.

"I know that you and Blaise were…together, in a way."

Malfoy jumped up off the couch. "Who the hell told you that? Did Blaise tell you?"

"No, I…heard it. It was a rumor and—"

"That stupid prick!" Malfoy shouted. "I should've known he'd go off telling people! That's the last time I trust him!"

"So it's true then?" Harry countered as Malfoy turned to glare at him. "You did something sexual with him willingly and yet you claim you'd never do anything with a bloke. Obviously, you're either lying or in severe denial."

"I'm not in denial, Potter!" Malfoy snapped. "That was one time, Potter! One time! And it was a bloody blow-job! He didn't say we had sex did he?"

Harry shook his head. "No. I heard it was a blow-job."

Malfoy seemed a bit relieved and he crossed his arms. "It was one time. I was willing to try it out as long as it was pleasurable for me. He offered after all and I made it clear to him I wasn't going to suck his dick. And I wasn't going to let him go any farther than a blow-job either. Having sex with a bloke was the last thing I ever thought I'd do," he drawled coolly.

There was a brief awkward silence as Malfoy stared at him harshly and Harry tried not to show his discomfort. He shrugged as calmly as he could.

"I never thought I'd have sex with a bloke either," he admitted as Malfoy snorted in response. "If you aren't interested in blokes at all, why did you let him do that? I mean…is Blaise gay?"

"He claims he's bisexual," Malfoy drawled sarcastically. "It's obvious he's gay. And I only let him do it because we were both a bit tipsy and I figured I could stop him whenever I wanted to. Turns out even though he hit on me many times and bragged about being good with his mouth, he wasn't that great."

Harry just nodded, unsure of what to say. Malfoy seemed to be lost in thought for a minute but he finally turned to lock eyes with him.

"Listen, Potter, about our situation," the blond said coolly. "There is no way we're going to actually _date_, understand? If we must, we'll spend time together and you can try to figure everything out on your own, or this 'source' of the problem as you put it. But you have until we graduate, which is seven days from now. If this spending time together isn't working to solve anything, or if there's nothing to solve in the first place, it doesn't matter. Once graduation ends I'm going my separate way and forgetting about this mess, got it?"

"Fine," Harry said, knowing that it was pointless to argue.

The blond stared at him briefly and then turned and headed for the door. Harry got up reluctantly and followed behind him. As Harry stepped up to the door behind him, Malfoy unexpectedly stopped and wheeled around. Harry bumped into him and then stumbled back a step. His heart was suddenly racing and Malfoy just gave him a harsh look.

"Don't follow right behind me, Potter! Someone might see!"

Harry half rolled his eyes out of frustration. "Okay, I get it Malfoy."

The blond glared at him then turned back around and walked out the door. Harry waited a minute before he too walked out. The hallway was empty and he could already see Malfoy disappearing around the corner. Harry was lost in thought the entire way back to the common room. It was obvious that Malfoy wanted to deny that anything was going on between them. And Harry knew that Malfoy would continue to deny that he felt any attraction toward Harry. He wasn't sure what to do.

By the time he got back to the common room, he figured out that he wanted to know if they truly _liked_ one another, as more than friends. That's what he wanted to know; he wanted to know if the attraction was sincere or just a fluke. Even if they both turned out to like one another, Malfoy would never in his life admit it; he had too much pride for that. But there had to be a way to make it so the blond couldn't deny that something was going on.

Harry went straight up to the seventh year dorms, got dressed into his pajamas and lay down in his bed. He thought about it for some time and then a thought occurred to him. The only way Malfoy wouldn't be able to deny anything was if Harry could prove that he knew something was going on between them. And there was one way he knew how to prove it…but Malfoy wasn't going to take it calmly.

The next morning before breakfast, Harry went up to the Owlry and sent Malfoy a message to meet earlier because there was something he had to tell him. Then he went down to breakfast early and began eating as other students came in. Ron was late but Hermione sat next to him and pretty soon Harry spotted Malfoy entering the Great Hall. He looked away and concentrated on eating, especially when he heard the sound of the Owls swooping down. _The Quibbler_ dropped down in front of Luna, who was sitting at the opposite table, facing them. And Hermione got an encouraging letter from her parents about the N.E.W.T.s.

Nervously, Harry turned his head a bit and caught Malfoy out of the corner of his eye. The blond was reading a letter and Harry had no doubt it was his. Quickly, he looked down at his plate and continued eating. The letter had stated to meet after breakfast in the Room of Requirement. He had rehearsed what he was going to say several times, but it still wasn't going to be easy. Once breakfast was over, Harry headed to the Room (noticing that Malfoy had left the Great Hall early). He entered and was slightly surprised to find Malfoy standing by a couch.

"What do you want, Potter?" Malfoy crossed his arms. "And this better be good. It's harder sneaking around this hallway at this time."

"I have something to tell you," Harry said, feeling his throat constrict.

"Then spit it out already," Malfoy retorted.

"Okay, um…you know how I told you I knew about you and Blaise, well…I didn't really _hear_ about it," Harry said nervously.

"What the hell does that mean?" Malfoy uncrossed his arms. "Are you saying you…you _saw_ us?"

"No, no!" Harry shook his head. "Er, nothing like that," he said as Malfoy's muscles relaxed. "It's just…um…the way that I knew it was…I…," Harry took in a deep breath as Malfoy stared at him impatiently. "I'm a Legimen."

His words rang out in the air and he felt Malfoy tense. The blond's face contorted with rage and he clenched his fists—one of them hanging dangerously low to where he kept his wand.

"A Legimen?" Malfoy repeated, his voice wavering.

"Er, you know, I can read minds."

"I _know_ what a bloody Legimen is!" Malfoy bellowed angrily, taking a step forward. "And I also know it's impossible for someone our age to be one!"

"Yeah, it is, which is why I'm not a full Legimen but I can still get emotional readings off of people," Harry said, swallowing thickly.

"Emotional readings? What the bloody hell does that mean?" Malfoy snapped.

"I can sense what people are feeling. Not all the time though. I needed to tell you because…that's how I know there's something going on between us, Malfoy," Harry blurted out as the blond's eyes widened. "I could sense there was an attraction…or something of that sort. And I sensed it from the both of us."

"I TOLD YOU I'M NOT BLOODY ATTRACTED TO YOU!" Malfoy shouted loudly.

Harry was taken aback by his anger, but he was grateful for the sound-proof walls. Malfoy was trembling with anger and Harry could see his hand getting closer to his wand. The blond's eyes narrowed and he took another step forward.

"How do I know you're not bluffing Potter? Blaise could've told you that or someone else!"

"I'm not bluffing!" Harry exclaimed. "I'll prove it!"

Malfoy stared at him intensely and Harry felt extremely uncomfortable. "Then prove it, Potter!"

"Fine! That night, in the pub when you were thinking about Blaise and I sensed what happened between you two," Harry said as Malfoy tensed, "you also thought…," he trailed off, swallowing. "You thought that I…I gave you a better blow-job."

Instantly, a wave of intense emotion came from Malfoy. There was a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Harry could sense it before it happened. Malfoy whipped out his wand and shot a hex at him. Harry managed to avoid it by jumping behind the other couch. Harry grabbed his own wand, ready to fight back but when he stood up he saw Malfoy stomping out of the room. His adrenaline was still pumping and his heart was racing partly because he had confessed to Malfoy about what he had sensed. He thought that Malfoy for sure couldn't deny it or convince himself that it was nothing, but it seemed that Malfoy probably wouldn't speak to him ever again.

Slowly, Harry shoved his wand back into his pocket and then he headed for the door. He didn't see Malfoy in the Great Hall for lunch. And Harry went down early for dinner and left early to avoid seeing whether Malfoy was there for dinner or not. Their usual meeting time was coming up and Harry doubted that Malfoy would show, but just in case he grabbed his notes and headed for the Room of Requirement. He concentrated on the same place and when he entered he saw that it was empty.

Sighing heavily, Harry sat down on the couch and opened his notes. He studied for a long while and he was so engrossed in his notes (particularly his history ones) that he didn't hear the door open. It was when the door shut loudly that Harry jumped, dropping his notebook on the floor. Malfoy stood by the door seething with anger, although he didn't look quite as mad as he had before.

"Listen to me, Potter! You're going to tell me everything that you read from my mind!" Malfoy hissed, stalking over to him with his wand pointed at him. "And if you even think about getting up or not telling me I'll hex you!" he exclaimed gesturing to his wand which was pointed at Harry's face.

"Okay, Malfoy," Harry said, staring up at him. "You can stop pointing your wand at me."

"I don't think so, Potter!" Malfoy snarled.

"Then could you at least sit down? It's unnerving to have you standing like that."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed, but he waved his wand and the other couch came to rest exactly across from the couch Harry was on. There was still a foot between the two couches, but Malfoy sat down on the other couch, facing him, but kept his wand steady.

"Look, I can't read exact thoughts, alright? I can only get feelings now and again," Harry said.

"What _feelings_ did you get out of me, Potter?" he snapped, gripping his wand tightly.

"I only sensed a little, Malfoy, nothing that big. I sensed that you were suspicious of why I gave you that Scale, and you seemed grateful that I saved you from the dragon, and…," Harry trailed off.

"And what, Potter?" Malfoy snapped.

"I'm…I'm not comfortable with saying it."

Malfoy moved his wand closer to him and glared. "Tell me now, Potter, or you'll regret it."

Harry stared at him and realized Malfoy was serious about hexing him. "I…when we were in the cave, the last night we were stuck there, I felt…I sensed that you…you know? Er…right before we…," Harry trailed off as Malfoy's eyes narrowed, "well…I sensed that you seemed a bit…aroused and lonely."

Malfoy glared at him harshly and Harry couldn't get a reading off of him because Malfoy was trying to his best to mask his emotions now.

"Is that it, Potter?" he snapped.

"Yeah," Harry said.

Malfoy's grip on his wand loosened, but his gaze didn't lessen. "Just because I was aroused in your presence, Potter doesn't mean it has to do with you. That doesn't mean that there's something going on between us. I told you I hadn't had sex in a while and I was frustrated, hot and miserable in that damn place! And you were conveniently there."

Harry felt his anger boil, but a part of him knew that Malfoy was saying that to get a rise out of him. It was most likely because he embarrassed the blond by telling him he knew a few things that Malfoy didn't want him to know.

"And now I see how it is. You didn't tell me about your ability so you could spy on me by reading feelings off of me!"

"It wasn't about spying, Malfoy!" Harry shouted suddenly. "You would've never admitted to the truth and you certainly wouldn't have been open with me. That's why I didn't tell you!"

"What truth?" Malfoy snapped.

"The fact that something is occurring between us, okay? Yes, maybe it's a fluke! Maybe I was conveniently there, as you say, but instead of trying to figure it out you're convincing yourself there's nothing going on! If I had told you my ability before, you'd act even more nasty to me just so that I wouldn't notice any of your feelings."

"That doesn't justify invading my mind!" Malfoy seethed. "It's not your business to know how I feel about things, now is it?"

"It is when it has to do with me!" Harry blurted out.

"For the last time, it doesn't have to do with you, Potter! Stop thinking that everything has to do with you!"

"You had sex with me, didn't you? That has to do with me!" Harry argued.

"That was a mistake, Potter!" Malfoy snapped.

"It still happened!" Harry shouted back.

Harry breathed in deeply, feeling frustrated and aggravated by Malfoy's attitude. The blond glared at him harshly and raised his wand a bit.

"Look, Malfoy, I'm not trying to force you to hang out with me, or be my friend, alright? I'm not trying to embarrass you or invade your mind! And I'm certainly not spying on you, despite that I don't really trust you. I gave you that Scale to help you and I wouldn't have given it to you if I was spying on you," Harry said, as Malfoy gazed at him coolly.

"I understand _why_ you don't want something to be happening between us, alright? I get that, but ignoring it isn't going to do anything. And that's exactly what you've been doing and you would've completely disregarded the entire situation if I had told you my ability earlier."

There was a short silence as Malfoy continued to point his wand at him. Harry stared at him evenly and both of them were breathing heavily from yelling. Finally, Malfoy lowered his wand but continued to stare at him intensely.

"I stand by what I said earlier, Potter," Malfoy drawled coldly. "If you haven't figured something out by graduation we're forgetting this mess ever happened! And if you even _think_ about trying to read my thoughts, or feelings, again, I'll make sure to make your life miserable!"

"I told you it doesn't happen all the time. And I don't try, okay? Sometimes I just sense things and I can't help it," Harry retorted defensively.

"As long as you don't try anything, Potter, I won't hex you," Malfoy drawled. "And even after this ordeal is over, you better not tell anyone about it."

"Why are you so concerned about people finding out?" Harry challenged.

"Because of obvious reasons, Potter! I'd be absolutely humiliated if people found out that I had shagged the famous Harry Potter! None of my friends would ever speak to me again! And I doubt yours would either!"

Harry opened his mouth and then closed it. He wasn't sure what his friends would do if they found out. Ron would take it the worst. He'd most likely blow up and consider Harry mentally insane and then go after Malfoy with the intent to alter him permanently. Ginny would be upset and probably think he dumped her for Malfoy, but she wasn't the type to hold grudges for very long. Hermione would be in absolute shock and probably would take him to St. Mungo's to make sure he wasn't under a spell or potion.

Harry decided not to argue with him. He knew that eventually his friends would come to accept him, because they were true friends. They'd never abandon him. Harry doubted that Malfoy's friends were as forgiving.

"How come I don't see you hanging around your friends?" Harry countered.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Because most of my friends are either in hiding, or have transferred to another school, have moved to a different state, or country, or dead. As you've probably noticed, there aren't many Slytherins here."

"Not yet, but once first years start coming again, especially now that the war's over, there will be more Slytherins. I doubt they'll be the same, though, considering that most families who supported Voldemort will remain in hiding."

"I don't care, Potter! I'll be gone, so what do I care!"

"Fine, whatever. I don't want to argue with you anymore," Harry said, standing up.

He walked to the door thankful that Malfoy didn't hex him for getting up and leaving. Once he was outside the Room, he turned and spotted Hermione walking down the hall.

"Harry! Did you just come from the Room of Requirement?" she asked.

"Er, yeah," he said, walking forward quickly and taking her arm to turn her away in case Malfoy emerged. "I wanted a peaceful place to study."

"So that's why I haven't seen you in the library," she smiled. "Are you prepared?"

"Doing better," he shrugged, as they walked down the hall together.

They turned the corner and Harry felt relief flood through him.

"That's good. I've made up study sheets for each subject and I've charmed my notes so that specific questions are colored differently. It helps when studying."

Harry smiled in amusement. "That's great Hermione."

"Do you want to join me in the library? I was about to go over a few notes."

"Sure," he said.

Beaming, Hermione then chatted on about her, Luna and a few other girls having a study group. Then she complained about Ron being stubborn and lazy. They got to the library and Harry sat down and studied with her. She was a lot more nit-picky than Malfoy had been, but she was even better with the smaller details. When they were finished, they headed back up to the common room.

"I'm glad that you know so much, Harry. I was really worried that you had been slacking off," she said. "Maybe you could convince Ron to study more."

"I'll try," Harry smiled. "But you know how he is."

Huffing, Hermione shook her head. "Yes, I do."

They arrived at the common room and Hermione bid him goodnight. Harry decided that he'd go to bed early as well. When he entered the room, Ron was there getting dressed.

"Harry, where have you been? Seamus and Ellion wanted to have a game of _Godric's Quest_. I wanted you to be my partner."

"Sorry Ron, I was studying," Harry said as he undressed.

"Oy! You're like Hermione now!" Ron exclaimed, seemingly annoyed.

"Ron, you're exaggerate—"

"HOLY MERLIN!" Ron shouted.

Harry wheeled around in surprise, having just slipped on his pajama pants. "What?"

Ron was pointing at him with his mouth open. "What the bloody hell was that on your back?"

Harry felt his insides squirm and he shrugged. "Nothing."

"What's going on? Who's shoutin'?" Seamus asked as he entered the room.

"Seamus, Harry's got a tattoo!" Ron shouted.

"Blimey! Are you serious?" Seamus asked, wide-eyed. "Let me see it, 'arry!"

"No, it's…it's nothing, really," Harry said, feeling uncomfortable.

"Ah, come on!" Seamus exclaimed, stepping closer.

Reluctantly, Harry turned around to show them his bare back.

"Wicked!" Seamus exclaimed. "I've never seen anythin' like it!"

"What is it?" Ron asked.

Harry could sense his jealousy and he just shrugged. "It's a Thestral. Only those who have seen death can see them, the live ones I mean."

"I've heard about them! That's what they look like? Bloody hell, had I known how wicked they looked I would've paid attention in Hagrid's class!"

"Harry, when did you get that?" Ron asked.

"Er, at a party at the Embervale Academy."

"That must've cost a lot," Seamus said, examining it.

"It was expensive, but not too bad. I didn't have to give an arm for it," Harry joked.

Seamus laughed and Ron seemed torn between laughing along and continuing to wallow in jealousy.

"Wait till everyone else hears about this!" Seamus grinned.

"Please don't spread it around the school," Harry said. "I don't mind if you tell Dean and Neville, but just…not everyone."

"Can't promise you, 'arry!" Seamus shrugged with a small smile. "Sometimes people overhear conversations and other times they just blurt things out. Accidents happen."

"Uh huh," Harry said, disbelieving. He got into bed once he was completely dressed. Ron was still standing there looking dumbstruck, but finally he got into his bed as well.

"You know, I'll bet people are goin' to be jealous," Seamus said as he got dressed.

"Yeah, like Malfoy," Ron spoke up finally.

"No, he's got one," Harry said.

Ron and Seamus turned to stare at him in surprise.

"Blimey! Really? What's he got?"

"Yeah and how do you know?" Ron asked.

"Er…I...he showed it to me, to make me jealous I think."

"What an arse!" Seamus exclaimed.

"What's it of?" Ron asked with mild curiosity.

"Er, a Runespoor."

"Not too surprising, I guess. I would've thought a basilisk or somethin'," Seamus said.

"Yeah," Harry said.

They fell into silence and Harry turned over, signaling that he was going to sleep. He closed his eyes and soon fell asleep.

The next day Harry woke up later than usual and he went down into the common room, after getting dressed, and to his surprise Ron, Seamus, Neville, Dean, Ginny and Hermione were all standing there in a group.

"Harry! Do you really have a tattoo?" Ginny exclaimed.

Harry groaned and reluctantly approached them. "Yes, I do."

Hermione's jaw dropped open and Ron smiled smugly. "See, Hermione, I told you we weren't lying."

"Harry James Potter! I can't believe you!"

"What's the matter? He's legal," Seamus said.

"Maybe so, but I think it's a waste of money," she said sternly.

"Many people want one, but they're too expensive," Neville said. "Besides, my Grams said if she finds out I got one she'd really let me have it."

Seamus shook his head. "She can't control you forever, Neville."

"She's a tough ol' lady," Dean said.

Hermione ignored them and stared at Harry. "Why did you get one?"

"I like it," Harry said, shrugging.

Ginny glanced at him. "Can we see it?"

They all turned to stare at him and even Hermione seemed vaguely curious. Harry slowly turned around and lifted up his shirt.

"Wow!" Neville exclaimed.

Ginny gasped and Dean whistled.

"Harry, is that a Thestral?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," he said, turning back around. "Look, er, I'm going to go study so I'll see you all later."

"Harry!" Dean fake-whined. "Don't leave us!"

"See, now you scared him off," Seamus joked.

"What about breakfast?" Ginny asked.

"I'm not hungry," Harry called over his shoulder before he walked out.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he headed toward the floor with the Room of Requirement. He approached the specific spot.

_A place where I can relax. _

The wall opened and Harry stepped inside. He was pleased to see one plush tan couch in the center of the room parallel to the fireplace. There were shelves full of books that lined the walls (and most of the books, Harry noted, were about Quidditch or sorcery). There was a small table next to the couch which had Butterbeer and snacks upon it.

The room was lighted enough for him to be able to study, but not too bright that it would bother him. Harry approached the couch and lay down, getting comfortable. He took out his notes that he had brought with him and opened them. He reached over and drank some Butterbeer and also ate a part of a muffin. He then settled back down into the soft couch and flipped through his notes.

For a while, Harry lay comfortably on the couch flipping through sections of his notes. He had finished the muffin and his Butterbeer and instantly his mug refilled itself with more Butterbeer. He was so content that it made studying more bearable. However, his relaxation was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Harry turned his head and saw Malfoy halt after entering the room.

"Potter, what the hell are you doing here?" Malfoy drawled.

"Trying to relax," Harry retorted.

"Funny, that's exactly what I was coming here to do," the blond said coolly. "I should've known you'd be taking over this room."

Harry set his notes on his lap. "Malfoy, I'm not in the mood to argue. So if you're going to continue to start fights then you can just leave."

He then picked up his notes again and pretended to ignore the blond. He didn't expect to see Malfoy before their usual meeting time and once again his heart suddenly felt like it was beating faster. It happened a lot whenever he was around Malfoy.

"This isn't _your_ room, Potter, so don't even think about kicking me out," Malfoy retorted as he stalked over to him.

Harry glanced up in time to see Malfoy approach him. The blond unexpectedly grabbed Harry's legs and pushed them over the edge of the couch, causing him to lose balance.

He fell off the couch and Malfoy lay down like Harry had seconds ago.

"Malfoy, move over!" Harry exclaimed, pushing on the blond's legs.

"I don't think so," Malfoy drawled smugly, opening his notes.

"I was here first!"

The blond gazed at him and smirked. "Too bad, Potter. You'll just have to sit on the floor."

Feeling aggravated, Harry grabbed one of Malfoy's legs. The blond instinctively kicked his leg out to try and throw him off, but Harry managed to keep a firm grip. The blond then tried to kick him with his free leg but Harry grabbed a hold of that leg too.

"Let go!" Malfoy snapped, kicking his legs repeatedly.

"Not until you move over!" Harry exclaimed, wincing as Malfoy moved his legs roughly to try and get him to let go.

Harry held on and as Malfoy kicked rather harshly it caused Harry's body to rock backward forcefully and then when Malfoy brought his legs back in the force of it caused Harry to be thrown forward. It was unexpected for both of them and Malfoy couldn't move out of the way in time. As Harry fell on top of him, as he was forced to release Malfoy's legs, their heads collided.

Both of them groaned in pain and Harry blinked several times. Malfoy pushed on Harry's chest roughly.

"Get off me, Potter!"

Malfoy made a move to hit him, but Harry anticipated it and caught his wrist. Then he twisted the blond's wrist just enough so he couldn't pull free.

"I'm not going to let go until you move over," Harry said firmly.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed and suddenly his free hand lashed out and grabbed a handful of Harry's hair, tugging harshly. Hissing in pain, Harry managed to keep hold of Malfoy's wrist.

"Let go of my wrist Potter!" Malfoy hissed, jerking on his hair some more.

"OW! Merlin! Let go of my bloody hair!" Harry exclaimed.

"Not until you let go of me first!" Malfoy said, wincing as Harry's grip on his wrist tightened.

"Yeah bloody right, so you can kick me off the couch the second I let go?" Harry retorted.

Malfoy tugged on his hair with a forceful jerk, causing Harry's neck to strain upward. Harry groaned in pain but didn't relinquish his grip on Malfoy's wrist.

"Malfoy, you're a sadistic prick you know that?" Harry retorted as he narrowed his eyes at him.

The blond stared at him evenly as his gaze darkened. "At least I'm not a reckless goody-goody like you, Potter!"

Both of them tightened their grips on one another. Harry took in a deep breath while trying not to show the pain he was in.

"Alright, look. On the count of three we'll both let each other go, okay?"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Fine."

They both stared at each other with suspicion but finally Harry spoke. "One…two…," their eyes remained locked together, "three!"

Harry released Malfoy's wrist and the blond let go of his hair, but unexpectedly he kicked Harry backward. Harry's back collided with the arm rest on the other side of the couch, but thankfully he didn't fall off. Malfoy grabbed his notes and stood up.

"I'm not going to deal with you, Potter. I have more important things to do," he said, wheeling around.

Malfoy was leaving and out of a sudden instinctive movement Harry had jumped from the couch and onto Malfoy's back, wrapping his arms around his neck. Malfoy made a sound of surprise and since it was unexpected the both of them fell to the floor, with Harry on top.

"POTTER!" Malfoy snarled, pushing him roughly.

They wrestled for a bit on the floor. Harry tried to pin his arms down, but the blond kicked him in his stomach. He was thrown off of him and a second later Harry felt Malfoy's knee on his back, holding him face-down on the floor. Thankfully his head was turned to the side, but since Malfoy had his legs pinned as well that made it so he couldn't move.

"I don't know what you're trying to prove, Potter, but you've obviously lost," Malfoy said smugly.

Malfoy pressed down more firmly on him and Harry's heart pounded harder. Harry understood why he had done it—he didn't want Malfoy to leave. And he was confused by these feelings, but it made a lot sense. He truly liked Malfoy. He wasn't sure how the blond felt and now it would be harder to get any readings off of him, but a part of him was hoping that Malfoy was sincerely attracted to him. It was a strange thought, wanting Malfoy to like him, but oddly he couldn't help feeling it.

He relaxed completely, pretending to be submissive and cautiously reached for his wand. When Malfoy loosened his grip just a little, Harry murmured a spell that caused Malfoy fly backward. Unfortunately, because Harry had been face-down he didn't realize how close his wand had been to Malfoy so the blond was thrown all the way over by the couch. Harry stood up quickly and dodged a hex that Malfoy threw at him.

"You're going to regret that, Potter!"

Harry shot another spell at him and was shocked when Malfoy picked up the tray that had had the muffin and Butterbeer on it and blocked it, sending the spell back toward him. Because he had to jump out of the way quickly, he wasn't able to block Malfoy's hex which caused him to fly up in the air. Using his wand so he wouldn't fall on the floor, Harry aimed for the couch and landed ungracefully on it. Malfoy shot a spell at him, which prevented him from being able to get up.

"Now who's the winner, Potter?" Malfoy smirked, approaching him.

Harry was inwardly fighting off the spell, but he couldn't. It was then he realized that although the spell made it so he couldn't get off the couch, it didn't prevent him from moving his arms. Very slowly he moved his arms, switching his wand behind his back into his left hand so it'd be more unexpected. He made it look like he was struggling to get up.

"I told you you'd regret it," Malfoy said, hovering over him.

"No, you will!" Harry moved his left hand, which held his wand, and shot a spell at Malfoy.

The blond partially blocked it but it caused him to stumble and fall on top of Harry. Using that to his advantage, as Malfoy fought to get up, Harry shot a paralyzing spell at him. The blond froze, half-way sitting up and hovering directly over Harry. The both of them were on the couch and Harry was squished beneath him.

"Great, Potter! Now we're both stuck!" Malfoy spat, glaring down at him.

The blond's arms were frozen on either side of Harry's stomach.

"It's a tie then," Harry said. "Hey…do you feel that?"

Malfoy stared down at him. "What, Potter?"

"The couch…I think it's moving," Harry said, turning his head.

Sure enough, the couch seemed to be expanding. Harry and Malfoy watched with curiosity and anxiety as the couch began to morph.

"Not again! What the bloody hell's wrong with this room? It keeps changing."

It expended several feet and became flatter, but softer. There was soon something silky beneath his head and Harry turned. His stomach churned when he noticed that the couch had morphed into a bed. Malfoy noticed it too and his eyes narrowed.

"You're doing this, aren't you Potter?"

"_Me_? What about you? Black sheets?" Harry asked incredulously, gesturing with a hand at the black silky sheets he was currently lying on.

"And what about those gold pillows at the top, huh Potter?" Malfoy spat, jerking his head.

Harry inclined his neck backward and saw the gold pillows at the head of the bed. "You see what I mean?" Harry exclaimed, staring at him firmly. "There's something going on!"

"It's not me, Potter! It's you!"

"There you go again, trying to place all the blame on me just like when we were at the Pond of Desires! Well, I'm not reversing the spell on you until we figure this out!"

"There's nothing to figure out!" Malfoy hissed angrily. "And I'm not staying here!"

"Are you seriously that daft?" Harry shouted as his eyebrows furrowed. "Malfoy, there are black sheets and gold pillows. That must mean that _both_ of us caused that to happen. So obviously there _is_ something going on between us. And I'll bet you're the one not being honest!"

"Honest about what?" Malfoy spat, glaring at him. "If you're implying I have some sort of sexual fascination with you, Potter, then you're out of your bloody mind!"

"I don't know what's going on! That's what I'm trying to figure out!" Harry exclaimed. "And you're so content to just ignore everything."

Malfoy glared at him in frustration and Harry stared back at him evenly. The lights suddenly vanished, leaving the room dimly lit by the crackling fire. Malfoy was startled by the lights disappearing and Harry looked around. The bed was barely illuminated by the light from the fire and the rest of the room was in shadows.

"Potter, I'm getting a bloody stiff neck! Undo this spell, _now_!" he hissed.

Harry narrowed his eyes. He knew exactly what would happen if he undid the spell. Malfoy would avoid the issue once again.

"Fine," Harry lied, lifting his wand.

He cast a different spell on the blond—the same one that was on him. Malfoy was able to move and he glared at Harry and then tried to get off the bed. The blond was surprised when he was thrown backward, nearly colliding into Harry.

"What the hell did you do?" Malfoy spat, pointing his wand at him.

"The same spell you did to me. Now neither of us can get off the bed."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "I'm not staying here with you, Potter!"

Harry saw the blond turn his wand on himself, but he was faster. In less than a second Harry had disarmed Malfoy so he wouldn't be able to undo the spell that was on him. Then Harry levitated Malfoy's wand high up in the air so he couldn't reach it.

"I told you. Neither of us is leaving until we figure this out," Harry said firmly.

"There's nothing to figure out! And you can't keep me in here all day, Potter! Someone's bound to notice our disappearances!"

"Maybe so, but it'll take them a while to find us considering they'd have to think of the same thing we did to get in here," Harry said.

"What the hell do you want, Potter? Some confession that I'm gay like you?" Malfoy snarled.

"I want the truth," Harry said, crossing his arms. "You told me that I could figure out and that we could spend time together in order to solve this. You gave me until the end of graduation. Well, we have plenty of time and that's what I'm doing—I'm trying to figure it out."

"When I said that Potter, I didn't intend for you to trap me!" Malfoy spat, glaring.

"Look, do you want this solved once and for all so that we don't have to worry about it? This is the way to do it. This room acts on strong specific thoughts so obviously the bed just didn't randomly come out of nowhere."

"For the last time, Potter, I don't like you and I'm not gay!" Malfoy shouted. "Why can't you get that through your thick skull?"

"Why can't you get it through _your_ thick skull that actions speak louder than words!" Harry retorted loudly.

"You're _impossible_, Potter!" Malfoy spat, crossing his arms angrily.

They both fell into an uncomfortable silence. They were sitting as far away from one another on the bed as possible.

"Why is it that you seem to want me to say that you turn me on, Potter? Has invading my mind about you being better than Blaise at blow-jobs, which isn't saying that much, consumed you? Is it that you want so badly to feel superior to me because I've had loads more experience than you, or perhaps Potter…you're the one with a sexual fascination for _me_?" Malfoy drawled.

Harry turned his head to gaze at him firmly. "Yeah, you're absolutely right, Malfoy. Now you've found out my secret. I dream about you all the time and about shagging you," he stated sarcastically. "And that makes me feel superior to your supposedly sexual expertise."

"First off, Potter, you know I'm more sexually experienced than you, and second off I would _never_ let you shag me!"

"Right, because you have to be superior to everyone so that's why you're always on top," Harry stated coolly. "And what about if a girl wants to ride you, are you going to be against that because that means she's on top?"

"Obviously, that's an exception," Malfoy drawled. "Why, Potter, has a girl ever ridden you?"

Harry glared at him and then looked away.

"I didn't think so," Malfoy replied smugly. "Then again, maybe I should be asking if you've ever ridden a bloke."

"SHUT-UP MALFOY!" Harry shouted enraged, glaring at him. "Enough with the gay jokes, alright? First off, I'm not entirely sure I'm gay! _You're_ the only bloke I've ever done anything with, so that's not saying much."

"You should consider yourself lucky, Potter! I've had tons of girls falling all over me! And the girls that I have slept with all say that I'm the best shag they've ever had!" Malfoy spat defensively.

"Well, sorry I can't agree," Harry retorted coolly.

Malfoy lunged at him and shoved him up against the headboard. "Take that back, Potter!"

"Only if you take back what you said about me!"

"What, about you being inexperienced, Potter? It's obvious you're practically virginal!"

"What about me says that?" Harry retorted, staring angrily into his eyes.

"How many girls have you slept with Potter?" Malfoy spat, keeping their gazes locked together. "One? Two? Do you know how many I've been with? Six girls have given me blow-jobs without sex and five girls I've had sex with. Wouldn't you say that's more experienced?"

Malfoy released his hold on him and Harry just stared at him with narrowed eyes. "I know how to please girls, Potter. I know how to turn them on without even touching them. And despite that you _claim_ that I'm not good in bed doesn't mean anything. Because for one thing, Potter, in order to do my best in bed I have to at least be attracted to that person even if there's no chemistry. I know more about sex than you'll ever hope to know."

The blond turned around and Harry clenched his jaw. "I'll make a bet with you."

Malfoy turned to face him. "What sort of bet, Potter? Who can shag the most girls?" he drawled sarcastically.

"No," Harry said. "If I were to try and seduce a girl and win the bet by sleeping with her, you'd be able to make excuses like 'she's inexperienced' or 'she's not even that pretty'. There's an easier way to solve this."

"And what would that be?" Malfoy drawled.

"You claim that I'm very inexperienced compared to you and that I can't seduce anyone. So, how about if I test that theory…on you," Harry managed to get out.

Both of Malfoy's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "Are you suggesting that you _seduce_ me, Potter?"

"Yes. Because if I win, then your claim that I'm not experienced at all, or as you put it 'practically virginal', and that I can't seduce anyone is wrong. And since you claim to be an expert then you can't argue with me if I succeed in seducing you."

"This is absurd, Potter," Malfoy sneered. "What are your terms of the bet? If I get an erection?"

"Er, well yeah. If you're not at all attracted to me and if I'm not a good seducer then obviously you won't get aroused."

"It's easy for someone to get aroused even a little if someone is touching them, Potter," Malfoy drawled. "How about this: if you manage to give me an obvious erection, and I don't mean hardly noticeable, without putting your mouth or hand on my dick then I'll take back what I said."

'Fine," Harry replied, feeling his heart lurch in his chest.

Malfoy smirked and then lay down on the bed, which only increased Harry's anxiety.

"You have ten minutes."

Harry felt his throat constrict and he nodded. "Okay. Just out of curiosity, why a specific time?"

"Ten minutes should be enough time for an expert to be able to turn someone on, Potter. If you're truly more experienced than you look then you'll be able to seduce me in ten minutes. I even seduced a girl in five minutes, but that was only once. Set your wand, Potter."

Taking in a nervous breath, Harry waved his wand and numbers appeared in the air. After a slight hesitation, and wondering what possessed him to think of this bet, the levitating clock started.

"Am I allowed to take some of your clothes off?" Harry managed to ask.

"As long as you don't touch my dick as we agreed," Malfoy drawled, smirking widely.

Harry swallowed and then nodded. "I know that, Malfoy."

"Well, get to it, Potter."

At first Harry blanked and was thinking desperately as he approached Malfoy, but then he remembered a spell that might help him out. He held his wand firmly in his hand as he came closer and then positioned himself over the blond. Malfoy had his arms folded behind his head with a slight smirk on his face. He obviously didn't expect Harry to succeed.

Harry made sure to lock eyes with him briefly and then trying not to show his anxiety Harry used his wand to cause Malfoy's shirt to lift up. The blond just stared at him evenly, not showing any signs. Harry's hand, which was holding his wand, was out of Malfoy's sight by the side of his head. With a jerk of his wand, Harry thought of the spell that he had heard Fred and George mention to Ron in order to embarrass him. Unknowingly to Malfoy, small barely noticeable reflections of light glimmered on the areas of his muscular abdomen and sides that were sensitive.

Slowly, Harry bent his head down, making sure that Malfoy didn't know what he was planning. At the place on Malfoy's ribs, on the side of his stomach, was a little reflection and Harry opened his mouth and lightly bit on that exact spot. Malfoy's body jerked very slightly and Harry noticed small goose-bumps rise on his skin. Then Harry lifted his head to see that Malfoy's face was still blank but his eyebrows were furrowed slightly. The blond was probably surprised. Moving his head, Harry then bit slightly higher up and he saw more goose-bumps rise.

"Can I take off your pants?" Harry asked, lifting his head.

Malfoy shrugged carelessly. "Leave my boxers on, Potter."

Waving his wand, Malfoy's pants were pulled down to reveal his dark blue boxers. Harry used his wand again without Malfoy noticing and once again sensitive places on the blond's lower half were revealed to him. Harry still had eight minutes to go and he bent his head down and brushed his lips against the sensitive place on Malfoy's hip. He let his lips trail down the blond's leg, but even though goose-bumps were appearing Malfoy didn't seem to be becoming aroused. Harry wondered if the blond was fighting his arousal.

Moving his hand down Harry placed his hand, with his wand, by Malfoy's foot. There was a spell that would release the tension in the blond's muscles, sending tingles throughout his body, in order for him to better feel any pleasure. Harry murmured the spell quietly and as it hit Malfoy's foot he also bit down on the sensitive place on Malfoy's hip. The blond jerked suddenly, but Harry didn't really pay attention. He concentrated on sucking or nipping the places that had been illuminated to him. It was surprising how interested he was in it; he was so focused on those places that he didn't concentrate on Malfoy's reactions for several minutes.

Harry used the tension-lessening spell a couple more times as he trailed his fingers down Malfoy's leg and then back up. It was when Harry hit a particularly sensitive spot and he felt Malfoy shudder that he finally glanced up. Malfoy still seemed to be fighting him somewhat so Harry raised his wand and suddenly blindfolded him.

"Potter, what the hell is this?"

"You never said I couldn't use blindfolds."

Malfoy frowned darkly but he thankfully didn't say anything more. Harry then raised himself fully over the blond and leaned down to his neck. Harry sucked on the lower part of his neck. Malfoy's guard was being let down because Harry could sense that he was becoming aroused. As Harry went to suck on his stomach again, he felt something brush up against his chest. Glancing down, Harry saw a bulge in Malfoy's boxers and he felt relief flood through him. He didn't actually think he would be able to seduce him, but he had done it.

Sitting back up, Harry moved from hovering over Malfoy and then made the blindfold vanish. Malfoy blinked and then jerked his head toward him.

"See?" Harry gestured to Malfoy's erection. "And with almost a minute to spare."

"That's it?" Malfoy asked, sitting up.

"What do you mean? You're aroused," Harry gestured in frustration.

"I'm not even half erect, Potter."

"You said noticeably aroused, you never said I had to make you fully erect," Harry argued.

Malfoy sneered. "I doubt you'd be able to make me fully erect, especially in ten minutes."

"Look, I still won the bet, okay?"

"Fine, Potter. You're not as virginal as I thought you were, but you're still not remotely close to me."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Says you, but you're bias."

"Then let's make one more bet," Malfoy said, moving his hand to push his bangs out of his face. "I'll show you how it's done and if I do better in ten minutes then you have to agree to stop this."

"Stop what?"

"Trying to figure out why we accidentally slept together! It was an accident, alright? We don't have to find out the reason. I want to move on with my life and to just forget it ever happened, got it?"

"What you're saying is that if you make me more aroused than I made you, within ten minutes, then our deal is off and we what? Never speak to one another again?" Harry questioned as his gaze darkened.

"Preferably," Malfoy drawled. "Do we have a deal?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Harry really didn't have much of a choice. If he didn't agree to it then Malfoy would claim that Harry was sexually infatuated with him, and gay, and therefore he could still choose never to speak with him again. Nodding reluctantly, Harry held out his hand.

"Deal. But the same rules apply to you. No touching."

Malfoy shook his hand briefly and then waved his wand so that floating numbers appeared. Harry nervously lay down on the bed and Malfoy waved his wand again. Everything became dark.

"Wha—?"

"A blindfold, Potter. Like you did to me," Malfoy drawled. "Remember, when this is over and I've won you're going to give me back my wand and we're never going to mention this ever, understand?"

"I get it, Malfoy," Harry said darkly.

"Take your pants off, Potter."

Harry lifted his head a bit and then reluctantly he felt down to where his button was and undid it and then unzipped his jeans. He pulled his jeans down, knowing that his dark green boxers were showing, and then pushed his pants off his ankles. Once his pants were off, he lay back down feeling beyond nervous. It was more nerve-wrecking that he couldn't see anything.

"I'm starting the clock now, Potter," Malfoy said from somewhere above him.

Harry was startled when he felt a hand run up his leg, but he made sure not to show anything. His heart was racing and he was sure it wouldn't take that much to get him aroused. Malfoy's fingers suddenly slipped beneath the leg hole in the boxers and Harry's whole body jerked.

"Malfoy! You can't touch!"

"I'm not, Potter," Malfoy drawled, trailing his fingers dangerously close to Harry's privates.

True to his word, Malfoy's fingers remained on his inner thigh and didn't get any closer, but it was close enough to make Harry's stomach squirm. To his relief, Malfoy's fingers slid out of his boxers. Malfoy's fingers then slid to his hip where he pulled a small section of Harry's boxers down.

"Now, let me show you how this is done, Potter," Malfoy drawled.

Harry felt Malfoy's mouth on his hip and there was a strong suckling action and a bite that sent a shock through his body. He couldn't believe that such a simple thing could make his whole body tingle.

"Tell me, Potter," Malfoy drawled as he moved to the other side of his hip. "How many girls have you slept with?"

Harry breathed out a sigh. "Less than five, are you happy?"

He heard Malfoy snort softly in amusement. "I figured."

"But it's different, Malfoy," Harry explained, adjusting the blindfold. "When you have an actual relationship with someone and not just a fling you don't jump right into bed with them. It takes time to get to know them. It's like…you start out as friends first with casual dating and then after you've known each other at least six months you can think about moving it to the next level."

"You Gryffindors never want to have fun, do you?" Malfoy drawled. "It's all great to have those kinds of relationships, Potter, but when you're young and you don't have to be tied down and you're not looking for the person you're going to marry it's nice to have some shag-buddies and experimentations. Then you find out exactly what you like in a girl and even the best sex position."

"Okay, maybe I'm more serious than you are. I'm not saying that every time I'm with a girl I'm looking for the one I want to marry, but at the same time I don't want to get into the habit of having flings. Because if you get too used to them, then when it comes time and you're ready to settle down and get married, you'll be attracted to those types of girls who still only want to have fun. In that regard, you might end up alone for the rest of your life."

"Turn over, Potter," Malfoy ordered.

A bit surprised, Harry slowly sat up to turn over.

"Remove your shirt first."

Harry grabbed the ends of his shirt and lifted it up over his head. Then he lay down on his stomach and rested his head on his hands.

"Let me borrow your wand."

Harry raised his head slightly. "You're joking, right? How do I know you won't just leave me here like this and grab your wand and run?"

"We made a deal, Potter, but there's a special tactic I have and it requires a wand."

"You Slytherins are so dependent on magic," Harry said, releasing his wand so Malfoy could take it. "But if you try anything at all, including running and leaving me here, when I get out I'll tell the entire school about what has happened between us, got it Malfoy?"

"Fine," Malfoy drawled, grabbing Harry's wand.

The blond's hands moved up his bare back and Harry felt like he was being given a massage. That is until a wave of euphoria rippled through his body, starting from his spine. Harry's body tensed and jerked in response and he thankfully stifled a gasp, but he couldn't deny it had made him a little aroused.

"Malfoy, what the hell are you doing back there?"

"I told you, Potter, it's my specialty. It's my own spell."

"Your own? How's that possible?"

"Because I made a new spell after experimenting with several spells and charms and combined a few. Even the toughest of girls can't resist it."

"What the heck is it? An electrocuting spell? It felt like electricity was going up my spine."

"It causes any hormones that have been awakened by being touched to expand and send shocks of pleasure through the person," Malfoy drawled smugly. "I daresay many blokes are envious that I created this. It also intensifies sex."

"Hold on, so that means that it's really the wand that gives the girls pleasure, not you."

"It's all the same when you're a wizard, Potter," Malfoy retorted coldly. "That's something you'll never understand because you weren't born in this world."

"It's still my world too, Malfoy. And you…," Harry trailed off as the words got stuck in his throat. Malfoy was using the spell again and it seemed more intense than the last time.

"Is something wrong, Potter?" Malfoy drawled in mock curiosity.

Harry was trying to fight it, but the spell was really arousing him. Thankfully, he only had a slight erection so Malfoy hadn't won yet.

"Turn over."

Harry did so slowly and he was incredibly grateful that his erection wasn't big enough that it was noticeable through his boxers.

"Let me guess, you thought you won," Harry said. "Sorry, but no."

"Shut-up, Potter! And spread your legs."

He allowed his legs to part only a little and another wave of euphoria came over him, tingling up his legs and through his stomach.

"Malfoy! What the hell are you trying to do? That feels weird."

"Obviously, because you apparently have no hormones!" Malfoy snapped.

"Malfoy," Harry said, getting up to rest on his elbows. "It's obvious what the problem is. You're used to pleasing girls and you use that spell on them. But blokes are different. They have different levels of hormones, which is probably why your secret spell isn't working on me."

"I think I know what the problem is, Potter," Malfoy drawled coldly. "I'm sure you _are_ erect but you're too small to be able to tell through your boxers!"

Harry sat up and ripped the blindfold off of him. "Malfoy, don't even give me that crap! You know damn well that's not true! You're just a sore loser, that's all."

"I'm not finished yet, Potter!" Malfoy snapped, pushing him back down. "I still have five minutes. If you think that's the only tactic I have for seducing people then you're wrong."

Malfoy came to hover over him. "Spread your legs more, Potter."

"Why? What're you going to do?" Harry asked nervously.

"An experiment, Potter. You're right I've never pleased a bloke before, but that doesn't mean I'm not an expert at sex. I can always find a way to hit people's weak points. And I know what yours is," he smirked.

"What?" Harry's eyes narrowed.

"Spread your legs first, Potter," Malfoy said.

Harry did so reluctantly and Malfoy smirked. "You had an erection when we accidentally had sex."

"Yeah, and so did you, obviously," Harry shot back. "What's that have to do with anything?"

"Everything, Potter. You see, your weak point is that you obviously enjoy having something up your arse."

"Malfoy, I'm getting tired of the gay jokes," Harry said darkly.

"It's no joke, Potter," Malfoy drawled, lowering the wand between Harry's legs.

"What're you doing? You know you can't touch me," Harry warned, staring at him nervously.

"I'm not going to touch you, Potter. Trust me, that's the last thing I would do. But I'm still going to get to your weak point."

Before Harry knew it a yellow jet of light came out of his wand and went straight through his boxers. The spell shot up Harry's entrance tingling his insides all the way and then seemed to explode up inside of him. Harry's entire body shuddered at the sudden wave of pleasure that erupted inside of him. His body tensed and he fought hard not to arch his back.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Harry exclaimed after he caught his breath.

"I see that got a reaction," Malfoy drawled, gesturing to his erection. It wasn't incredibly noticeable, but still there. "So, I guess that proves it."

"Proves what?"

"That you're gay, Potter," Malfoy smirked.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "It does not, Malfoy. I'll bet if I used that spell on you, you'd have the same reaction."

"Not likely," Malfoy retorted.

"Then prove it," Harry said, sitting up. "Tell me that spell and if it doesn't cause a reaction in you then it means I'm gay."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Fine, Potter. Then we'll change the deal. If I prove that you're gay then our deal is off."

Harry half-rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Fine, Malfoy."

Malfoy sneered and then lay down as Harry got up. The blond handed him his wand and told them the spell. Harry aimed his wand between Malfoy's legs and gripped his wand firmly. He wanted it to work…so he put all his strength into it. A blast of yellow light erupted from his wand and shot up Malfoy's body. The blond made a sound of surprise, arching his back as his entire body seemed to glow. Harry was startled and quickly moved forward to bend over Malfoy.

"Malfoy! Malfoy, are you okay? Answer me!"

Harry tapped Malfoy's cheek and the blond's blearily opened his eyes. "Fuck, Potter! What did you do?"

"I don't know, I just said the spell like you told me," Harry said, staring down at him.

He hardly realized that his legs were on either side of the blond's body and that their faces were inches apart.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, gazing at him.

"Bloody great, Potter," Malfoy said, pushing on his chest.

Harry rose up a bit to let Malfoy sit up, but his legs were still on either side of the blond.

"Er, I think this means I win," Harry said, gesturing to the blond's bulging erection.

Malfoy's expression darkened. "That's bloody great for you, Potter!" he snapped, pushing Harry off him.

The blond leaned up against the headboard away from him and Harry swallowed thickly.

"Er, you're mad aren't you?"

"No, Potter, I'm completely happy that I lost to you of all people," Malfoy coldly replied. His tone was laced with sarcasm.

Harry hesitated and then slowly moved toward him. "Malfoy, I…"

"Just shut-up, Potter! I don't care that you won this stupid bet, I know I'm more experienced than you! Now I just want my wand so I can get the hell out of here!"

Harry's heart was pounding and he unexpectedly put a hand on Malfoy's shoulder. The blond's head jerked toward him and Malfoy grabbed his wrist, lifting it off.

"Don't touch me, Potter," Malfoy said coldly.

"Look, Malfoy, to be very honest, I think…I think I might be gay," Harry admitted and Malfoy released his wrist.

The blond raised an eyebrow. "Really, Potter? Confessing to it?"

Harry shrugged. "Like I said, I've never been with a bloke, but…I guess that would explain why my relationships with girls never seem to work out."

Malfoy gazed at him evenly. "Most likely, Potter."

"So, what, are you going to spread it around school now?" Harry asked.

Malfoy smirked. "It's something to hold over your head. I might if I feel like it."

Shrugging, Harry acted as though it didn't bother him. "Alright, well…you might want to take care of that before you leave."

Malfoy glanced down at his erection and then gazed back up. His lips curled into a smirk. "Since you've admitted to being gay, Potter, why don't you take care of it for me?"

"Malfoy, for the last time, I'm not a whore. Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm obligated to give you sex or blow-jobs whenever you want it."

"You'd only be a whore if I paid you," Malfoy drawled in amusement.

Harry bit his tongue and then he sighed heavily. "Look, if I…do this, will you swear to me that you'll stop with the gay and whore jokes? It's really aggravating."

Malfoy's eyebrows rose. "You're willing to suck me off, Potter?"

"Only if you swear that to me. Besides, at least this way I'll know for sure if I'm gay," Harry said.

Malfoy sat there in thought and seemed rather satisfied at the fact that it seemed like Harry was surrendering.

"Alright, Potter. I can't very well give up a free blow-job, even if it's from you. And I promise not say any gay or whore jokes in front of you."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine, good enough."

Smirking, Malfoy leaned back comfortably against the headboard and with his knees bent he spread his legs. "Go on, Potter."

Harry moved forward and pulled Malfoy's boxers down. He made sure not to stare at Malfoy's erection because that would only make him more nervous, and embarrassed. Up close and with a clear head though, Harry could definitely see that Malfoy was rather large. It certainly seemed like he was more than an inch bigger when he was erect. Just wanting to get it over with, so as not to deal with the humiliation of Malfoy's satisfaction, he bent down and opened his mouth. However, instead of sucking on it like he did the first time, Harry trailed his teeth up the expanse of the erection and he felt Malfoy's legs tense and then loosen.

It was hard to fit it all in his mouth, which was why he went slowly, but it was much easier than he thought it would be. When his mouth came back down, Harry sucked and this caused Malfoy's body to jerk. Harry decided not to go slowly otherwise Malfoy would watch him carefully through the entire thing so he then stuck all of it in his mouth and sucked hard. This brought a sound from the back of the blond's throat. Harry sucked hard a couple more times and he began to pull back, but he felt hands grip his hair tightly and tug him forward. Harry nearly choked as the erection was brought back deep in his throat but he relaxed his jaw muscles and moved his tongue around the thick member.

Harry's own erection was growing and he couldn't resist pulling away to look up at Malfoy. To Harry's surprise, the blond had his head resting back against the headboard and one of his hands had dropped down to his side, clenching the bed sheets, and the other remained in Harry's hair. Malfoy had his eyes closed so he was obviously enjoying it. Harry felt a strong wave of arousal course through him. His erection was aching and as Harry's mouth slipped away from the erection completely, he instinctively rose up and approached Malfoy.

To his own shock, Harry straddled Malfoy's lap, trapping the blond's engorged penis between them. And he bent down instantly and crushed his lips on Malfoy's. The blond made a noise in the back of his throat but Harry rocked forward, his boxers and erection poking through, rubbed against Malfoy's hardened member.

Harry rocked forward several more times, keeping their lips attached and then Harry moved his own hand down in order to tug his boxers down. Once his boxers slipped off him, Harry sat down and he heard the blond groan through their kiss. Harry's own body was trembling with anticipation. Malfoy's hands gripped his hips and Harry rubbed their erections together. Malfoy released another groan and Harry's body was pushed forward. Harry tilted his head and kissed Malfoy more passionately. The blond responded by slipping his tongue into his mouth.

Harry reached for his wand clumsily and quickly lubricated his entrance. Harry then rose up, pressing their chests together. Malfoy jerked his hips upward and as Harry moved his body back down a bit he felt the blond's erection near his entrance. Moaning, Harry adjusted his position and lowered himself completely. The thick member pushed against his entrance and Harry's cock twitched with pleasure. Malfoy's grip on his hips tightened and the blond thrust upward, causing his erection to go deeper inside. Harry moaned deeply and leaned back all the way. Slowly, Malfoy's entire erection pushed inside him and Harry stilled very briefly before he lurched forward.

Malfoy was breathing heavily and he released a loud groan as Harry rocked forward slowly and then back. The erection inside of him was moving at different angles and causing Harry to groan breathlessly. There was so much pleasure that Harry couldn't even think or scarcely breathe. Malfoy thrust upward and Harry gripped the headboard roughly as he felt more pleasure. He rode Malfoy until he felt something warm erupt inside him. And then after rocking forward once more Harry found his release.

Exhausted, Harry slowly and unsteadily got up off Malfoy's lap. His legs felt a bit like jell-o and he still felt the aftershock of his orgasm. Harry slumped down onto the sheets breathing heavily. He could hear Malfoy's heavy breathing beside him. And then suddenly he was woken from his trance.

"Merlin, Potter! I asked for a simple blow-job. Not a bloody shag!"

Harry lifted his head to see Malfoy hurrying to clean himself off with Harry's wand and then put his clothes back on.

"You weren't protesting," Harry said. "And besides, now I know I'm gay."

"That's great, Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed, summoning his own wand. "I'm not going through this any longer. It's obviously you who's the source of these accidents."

"I hate to break it to you, but it takes two people to have sex," Harry said coolly.

"This is over, Potter! We're not hanging out anymore so you can experiment with whether you're gay or not! I think I've shagged you way too many times for a bloody lifetime!"

Harry watched Malfoy get his clothes and then shove his wand into his pocket. "No more meeting here and don't ever mention this! It goes with us to our graves," Malfoy said firmly.

"Fine," Harry said, feeling too exhausted to argue.

Malfoy wheeled around and left the room. Harry sighed, cleaned himself off and then got dressed. He decided he'd study a little more and then go back to the Great Hall for dinner. Despite Malfoy's outburst, Harry didn't feel too disappointed. It was obvious he was gay and at least to him it was now obvious he had feelings for Malfoy. The blond just seemed to think Harry was experimenting with him, but it was much more than that.

Harry understood that he had crossed another borderline with Malfoy and the only thing to do was wait and give him some space. Perhaps Malfoy wasn't gay and maybe he didn't like Harry at all. Either way, it was better to leave the blond alone for some time. He needed to concentrate on studying anyway. It was pointless to confront the blond and ask him if he really did have some attraction to Harry.

_The only way to know if Malfoy is truly just a prick and I was conveniently there, or if he's really attracted to me, is to date other people and see if he comes around. There's no point trying to chase him because he'll only rebel even more. I'll just have to wait and see what happens. _

Although he felt disappointed that Malfoy wasn't more open-minded, he realized that with someone like Malfoy there was no way to force them to be honest and open. Malfoy had to come to that in his own time and if it turned out that the blond never spoke to him again, well…then there's nothing Harry could do about that. Stretching tiredly, Harry picked up his notes and resumed studying, trying to forget about Malfoy.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

To Reviewers:

**Missy Padfoot: **Well, they were kind of dating. Not the full-fledged thing just yet. :-) But I promise that's going to come in the next chapter. I know, denial is so fun! But it'll be nice to have them get along better. And thank goodness that's just around the corner! Thanks!

**Kai'sgrl: **Hehe! Yep, Voldie's gone for good, lol! Don't worry about that. That doesn't mean that everything's going to be completely easy for Harry and Draco, but their relationship is going to take a lovely turn next chapter. Thanks!

**Maegwin: **Thanks so much! Yeah, I try to make Harry's world as real as possible. Some things I get directly from the book and just elaborate and some things I make up entirely. And no, I didn't take the Horcrux idea from the seventh book. It was my theory that Harry was a Horcrux, because it made sense what with his scar and having access into Voldie's mind. And once the sixth book came I was like: "Harry's going to be a Horcrux!" And it came true, though not exactly how I thought it would, lol! Poor Malfoy is still in denial, but their relationship is going to take a positive turn next chapter! Thanks!

**Misstree: **Aw, thank you! I'm glad you liked the Ash Demons and the pool. It's not the last you'll be seeing of them. :-) And don't worry, Malfoy's still in denial, but their relationship will take a nice turn next chapter! Thanks!

**Hkph: **Thanks a lot! I'm glad you liked that twist. Harry's used almost all his tricks against Draco, but don't worry their relationship will improve next chapter.

**Freakmode: **Harry's not entirely loopy, lol! And it was the only way to severe the link with Voldie so he couldn't come back. I'll update asap!

**FlashDrive: **Aw, thank you so much! That's so sweet! I'm very glad that this seems very realistic to you. I'm trying to make it as realistic as possible. But don't worry, their relationship will take a turn for the better next chapter. After all, Draco can only stay in denial for so long. Hehe! I'm so glad you liked the Ash Demons. Don't worry, you'll see them again:-) Thanks!

**Hypermint**: You'll see the Ash Demons again, don't worry. I'm glad you really enjoyed Captivation. I'm sorry that you don't like this one as much. It's because it's more realistic and they didn't go right into the romance like in Captivation. Our society has brainwashed us into happy endings and the two lovers who are made for each other overcoming a couple obstacles and then getting together. But I wanted this story to be more realistic. Malfoy's a lot more stubborn I think than the personality I gave him in Captivation, although I am proud of that story. Still, I wanted to portray the both of them as close to the books as possible, but still letting them end up together. And don't worry, their relationship will improve greatly next chapter. Malfoy's denial stage is almost over. I'm glad you enjoy my other stories! Thanks!


	19. Chemistry part 2

**Pure Rhapsody**

**Chapter 18: Chemistry (part 2)**

The Great Hall was completely silent as all seventh years were seated, spaced apart, for their N.E.W.T.s. The test was broken up into subjects and they had one hour to complete it. Despite all the studying he had done, Harry still found the test true to its name; it was exhausting. He got stuck more than once in the History section and the Herbology section.

When the test was over, Harry vowed never to take another test again. The tests were magically cleared from their seats and then the tables went back to normal so that the seventh years could enjoy a stress-free lunch. Harry could hardly eat because he was still in turmoil over Malfoy. A part of him couldn't believe he had volunteered to give him a blow-job and then he had been so caught up in the moment that he wanted more…It had seemed like the thing he wanted to do at the time. Now, Harry wished he could go back and change it so as not to make a fool out of himself.

He was trying to figure out exactly why he had decided to do that. Perhaps he had wanted to see if Malfoy was really attracted to him by using the bet of seduction. He thought if he turned it into a challenge the blond couldn't refuse and he had hoped that it would reveal Malfoy's true feelings. But now Harry was more confused than ever. Malfoy had enjoyed it, yes, but he had obviously been somewhat in the mood before that happened because the bed appeared. And Harry didn't know if the bed appeared because Malfoy was also thinking of him or if the blond was just thinking of sex in general.

Trying desperately not to look over at the blond, Harry decided that he needed to spend some time outside the castle. Now that they were all on a few days break before graduation, they weren't required to stay at the castle all day. Curfew wasn't until eleven so Harry had plenty of time. He decided to fly over to Hogsmeade and take a walk around.

It was hard to think of anything other than Malfoy. It just bothered him that the blond could be so incredibly stubborn and rude. In fact, it seemed like the nicer Harry was to him, the more Malfoy acted out with his attitude. Perhaps it was easier for Malfoy to get along with someone when competition and arguments were involved.

Wanting to just forget about the arrogant Slytherin for at least a little while, Harry stopped in the Erkling Tavern, which was a new pub that was smaller than the one he and Malfoy went to at the academy, but it was nicer. There were fancy booths to sit down in and a bar. House Elves were walking around helping to take orders and there were apparitions on the walls. Some of them were advertisements and others were pictures of various creatures.

At the top of the bar was charmed image of an Erkling, what the pub was named after. Harry knew that Erklings were elf-like creatures that originated from Germany and their cackle lured children to them, which they ate. There weren't many around anymore after most had been hunted decades ago. Harry figured it was probably called that because kids weren't allowed in pubs, or at least that's what he guessed.

The place wasn't very packed so Harry sat down in a booth. He tried to think about Quidditch and how he did on the N.E.W.T.s. to forget about the mess he had gotten himself into. In the beginning, he had convinced himself that Malfoy was suspicious and possibly involved in something nefarious, but it turned out that Malfoy was innocent. Then Harry convinced himself that he wanted to prove to Malfoy that he wasn't a goody-goody. Somewhere over the course of their head-butting and competition and endless arguments, Harry became attracted to him. It couldn't have possibly just been for looks; if that were the case he would've been attracted to the blond years ago. Although he admitted Malfoy was attractive, he wasn't sure what else could've drawn him to the blond.

"Excuse me? I don't mean to bother you."

Harry gazed up from his thoughts to see a young man with light brown hair and bright hazel eyes. His hair was short and styled in the back much like Malfoy's, but his bangs were shorter, ghosting across his forehead neatly. There seemed to be streaks of golden-blond in his hair, most likely from being out in the sun.

"Er, hi," Harry said.

"Are you by any chance Dirk Woodcroft?"

Harry shook his head. "No, sorry."

"Bollucks," the young man murmured. "I'm supposed to meet him here and I'm a few minutes late."

Feeling a bit awkward, Harry cleared his throat. "Er, you don't know what he looks like?"

"No, no I don't. From what I'm told he wears many disguises in order to keep his identity a secret, in public anyway," he said, sighing. "I guess I'll just have to ask every lone bloke here. I'll probably make a bloody fool out of myself."

Shrugging, Harry offered him a small smile. "I guess you'll have to start wearing disguises then."

"Yeah," he smiled. "Anyway, I'm terribly sorry to bother you."

"It's fine." Harry nodded.

The young man smiled again and then walked away to venture to other tables. A House Elf came by Harry's table and he ordered a Butterbeer and a small plate of spiced fries. When his order came, he noticed that the fries were crackling almost like electricity, but they tasted great.

"Excuse me again?"

Harry swallowed his bite and looked up to see the same man standing before him. The man smiled nervously.

"I was wondering…and I don't want to impose or seem strange, but would you mind if I joined you?"

"Er, sure," Harry said awkwardly.

He reached up, pretending to scratch his head, to make sure that his scar wasn't showing.

"Sorry…I…there aren't any other booths only seats at the bar. You can say no, I'm not forcing you," he said.

"It's fine. I'm, er, not expecting anyone," Harry said.

"Well, thank you," he said, sitting down. He had on a thin long-sleeved white shirt and jeans, but he was also wearing a black tie. "My name's Tristan, by the way."

Shaking his hand, Harry nodded. "Er, Harry. Nice to meet you. So…the guy you were supposed to meet isn't here?"

Sighing, Tristan shook his head. "I guess not. Either he didn't want to wait for me or he forgot. I guess I'll have to interview him some other time."

"Interview?" Harry asked curiously.

"Yeah, it's why he wears disguises. His family's legendary, well sort of," he said, gesturing with his hand. "He's actually the descendant of the well-known Hengist of Woodcroft, who's the founder of Hogsmeade."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And I'm doing an article on him, so that's why I was meeting him here."

"So you…work for a newspaper?" Harry asked nervously, flattening his bangs again.

Tristan nodded. "Yes. _The Wizard Times_. They used to be called something else when they were a small business in Scotland, but then _The Daily Prophet_ became a huge success years ago and they weren't making any money. Now that the Prophet isn't very popular anymore, they were bought out by another company and they have a new name. Not to mention they've established their business here in London."

"Er, wow, that's good."

Tristan smiled. "I'm sorry if I'm boring you. What is it you do?"

"Oh, er, nothing yet. I'm graduating from Hogwarts in a few days."

"I thought you looked young," Tristan said, leaning forward. "Oh, I don't mean that you look…what I mean is you appear younger than me, but not too young," he smiled apologetically.

"It's alright," Harry said shrugging.

"Well, I graduated from the Embervale Academy a year ago so I'm not that much older."

"You went to the Embervale Academy?" Harry asked, surprised.

Tristan cocked his head curiously. "Yeah, why? You know it?"

"Er, yeah. I just came back from there. I was helping Professor Everard with his class for a semester, just to get some experience."

"Ah, yes, Professor Everard," Tristan said, smiling. "I really enjoyed his class. He's strict but he knows what he's talking about."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Er, did you want to order something?"

"Oh, I'm fine thanks. I just had something not too long ago. So, tell me Harry, what are you going into?"

"I'm not sure," Harry admitted, taking another sip of his drink. "I thought…maybe sorcery, because it sounds so interesting, but I have yet to figure out what I'd do with it. At one point I thought about going into Quidditch, but as much as I like it I'm not sure it's what I want to do for the rest of my life."

"That's interesting. So were you on the Hogwart's team?"

"Yeah. I played Seeker," Harry said.

"Wicked," Tristan said, grinning. "I love Quidditch. The Championships are the best."

The two of them got into a discussion of Quidditch and soon Harry found himself opening up more. When he was finished eating, they walked out of the pub.

"It was really nice to meet you, Harry. I hope we'll be able to keep in touch."

"Yeah," Harry said, shaking his hand. "I'm not doing anything tomorrow."

"Great! Just owl me. I'm staying at the Dragon Inn here just to get the interview so I'll be here a few more days. And my apartment isn't far from Hogsmeade either. Owl me anytime."

Harry nodded. "Alright. See you later."

He went back to school in slightly brighter spirits. Unfortunately when dinner came, Harry spotted Malfoy and the blond caught his eye. It was a brief stare, but Malfoy looked away so Harry just sat down and pretended like he hadn't noticed. It was during the course of dinner that Harry got a rather Slytherin-like idea. It wasn't an all-out plan, but it was something that could potentially help to clear things up between him and Malfoy, or at least help him move past the ordeal with Malfoy, if need be.

That night in the common room while he was getting dressed, Ron came up the stairs.

"Hey, Harry, did you hear about the graduation party?"

Harry turned and shook his head. "No."

"We're planning a party at the Hog's Head the night of graduation. All seventh years will be there and probably loads of other students from different schools. It's going to be wicked!"

"Sounds fun. Er, does that mean we can invite other people?"

Ron shrugged. "Sure, don't see why not. Why, are you inviting someone?"

"Yeah. I was thinking about this new friend I met in Hogsmeade."

"A new friend?" Ron asked. His tone was laced with jealousy.

"He's just an acquaintance. It's not like he's my best friend, not like you and Hermione," Harry said.

Ron's expression lightened. "Who is he?"

"His name's Tristan and he graduated from the Embervale Academy. He seems really nice. I think you'll like him."

"Okay," Ron said, shrugging. "Anyway, I talked to my dad and he said I could work with him at the Ministry until I figure out exactly what I want to do. Who knows, maybe I'll become an Auror."

Harry smiled. "Yeah, maybe."

"You know, Hermione says that she wants to help protect endangered species, particularly the really powerful creatures. She says that studying them is really fascinating, or whatever. I suppose that's just like her…choosing a job that she'll have to continually research and have her nose stuck in books."

"True, but it's not like she'll be stuck in an office. It seems like she wants to travel. There's a lot of first-hand experience that people have to do in those types of jobs," Harry said, getting into bed.

"Yeah," Ron said, sighing as he got into bed. "Goodnight."

"Night."

Harry lay in bed thinking over the strategy in his mind. It was a harmless plan, really, but he hoped that it would be enough to clear up how Malfoy felt about everything. And if the blond chose to ignore him, despite the strategy, then Harry knew it'd be futile to try anything else. He fell into a restless sleep sometime later.

When he woke up the next morning, he went to the Owlry with a letter for Tristan inviting him to the party. Down in the Great Hall for breakfast, Harry spotted Malfoy again talking with a couple Slytherins. Since seventh years were the only ones there now it was much quieter. Harry ignored Malfoy as best as he could and focused on eating. Malfoy was doing a great job of avoiding him completely and it aggravated him.

Harry knew that they had never gotten along, but they had had sex now _three_ times. Granted the first time they were both smashed, but the other two times they weren't. Harry thought that was an obvious sign of attraction, at least on his part, but with Malfoy there was no telling what went through his mind, especially since it seemed that Malfoy was content to sleep with people without getting emotionally attached. And it made Harry feel cheap. Not only did he feel like Malfoy was using him, but because sex was such a private and intimate act he felt more vulnerable now. Malfoy knew he was gay, he knew what Harry looked like naked, and Harry felt like he was entirely exposed.

When they were growing up together at Hogwarts and constantly fought, it was easier to put on a strong façade in Malfoy's presence. Now he felt like he had lost that power. And yet somehow Malfoy managed to keep up appearances. However…there were a few brief times when Harry saw Malfoy express real emotions and not just his attitude. Perhaps Malfoy would one day be willing to put all grudges behind him and act more decent.

Harry avoided Malfoy as well, knowing that it would be too awkward if he bumped into him. Malfoy would obviously either ignore him or know just what to say to make him feel defeated. So he remained in the common room for the most part, until lunch. Malfoy was again in the Great Hall for lunch and he appeared to be showing a couple Slytherins some magic with his wand. For some reason the way the Slytherin girl touched Malfoy's arm made Harry's stomach gurgle and he felt his blood boil.

Just then Hedwig came swooping down toward him. Harry glanced up and smiled at her as she landed. Reaching out a hand, he rubbed her head and then took the letter she offered him. As Hedwig approached Harry's plate, searching for something to her liking, Harry opened the envelope.

_Dear Harry,_

_I'm pleased to have gotten your letter! I would love to come to your graduation party. It sounds fun! I'm not working that day anyway so it'd be nice to get out for a change. And if you're up for it, perhaps we could hang out tomorrow and get to know one another a little better. I had a fun time with you at the pub yesterday! You're such a great guy and I feel we have a lot in common. Although, we're still somewhat strangers so I'd like to become more acquainted. Perhaps some time in the near future we could even go to a Quidditch Championship match together. Anyway, let me know if you're free tomorrow!_

_Sincerely,_

_Tristan_

Harry smiled at the letter, feeling in better spirits already. He turned to give Hedwig another rub and he saw Malfoy out of the corner of his eye. The blond turned and stared at him and Harry pretended to be concentrating on petting Hedwig. And while he knew the blond was staring, Harry did something unexpected. He put the letter up in front of his face, as if he was reading it again, grinned widely and then folded it and kept it in his hand.

When he glanced over in Malfoy's direction, he was disappointed to see that the blond wasn't looking at him and was engrossed in a conversation with another student. Still, having Tristan as a friend made him feel better about everything. He hoped that Tristan would become a close friend that he could rely on for comfort. Harry knew he couldn't open up to Ron, Ginny or Hermione about what was going on with Malfoy. It was much too awkward for all of them, and he was sure they would flip out at first. Having someone like Tristan, who was completely neutral, gave him some relief. And if he got to know Tristan better perhaps he would be able to give Harry some advice.

After lunch, Harry stopped at the library briefly to do some research on sorcery and then when he got bored he headed back to the common room. On his way there, he turned the corner to see Malfoy turning the corner at the other end of the hallway and the blond was alone. Harry quickly hid before Malfoy could see him and then he took out the letter. Taking in a deep breath, Harry stared down at the letter and turned the corner, pretending that he was too focused reading the letter. He made sure to smile as he read the letter again, keeping his head down.

At first he thought Malfoy would just completely ignore him altogether, but as Harry came closer, still staring down at the letter, he heard Malfoy stop. Glancing up, Harry saw the blond not more than a foot in front of him with his arms crossed casually over his chest. Harry's smile faded and lowered the hand that was holding the letter down to his side. Slowly, Harry stopped as well and stared at Malfoy.

"I assume that you've heard of the graduation party," Malfoy drawled. "Even though my old friends can't be there I still have new friends and I don't want word getting out that we were ever hanging together."

"We hung together?" Harry shot back coolly.

Malfoy's expression faltered and his eyes narrowed.

"Sorry, I don't know what you're talking about," Harry said with obvious mockery. "And besides, I thought we weren't ever going to speak to one another again."

Malfoy's gaze lingered and then the blond's eyes caught sight of the letter. "That wouldn't be a letter about me, would it?"

"Of course not," Harry said. "It's not about you at all."

Harry walked forward and made a move to pass him and when he did he felt the letter slip right out of his hand. He wheeled around to see Malfoy holding his wand steady and Harry's letter floating above him.

"I don't trust you, Potter," Malfoy drawled. "I'll bet you're just waiting for the right moment to try and humiliate me."

"You're wrong! I agreed to take it to my grave too, didn't I?" Harry retorted hotly. "And that's what I'm doing. I'm forgetting all about it. That's what you wanted. Now give me my letter!"

The letter fell into Malfoy's hands and the blond opened it. Harry made a move toward him but Malfoy pointed his wand at him. Harry's heart was beating fast as the blond glanced down at the letter and read it. Malfoy's eyebrows furrowed and he gazed back up at Harry.

"I told you it wasn't about you! That's a personal letter, now give it back."

"Personal?" Malfoy drawled, crumpling the letter in his hand. "Is this your boyfriend then?"

"That's none of your business," Harry shot back.

"So it is your boyfriend," Malfoy stated coolly. "Does he know what you did with me?"

"First off Malfoy, he and I just met recently so that was _after_ the whole ordeal with you!" Harry exclaimed. "And I thought you said to forget it ever happened!"

"Gee, Potter, you don't wait very long to jump in the sack with the next person you see, do you?" Malfoy taunted, tossing the letter back at him.

Harry picked it up off the floor and glared at him. "I told you that I have real relationships, Malfoy. I don't go after people for sex!"

"Oh, you mean like me?" Malfoy sneered. "You're the one who volunteered to give me a blow-job and then initiated sex again, Potter."

"I didn't go after you for…," Harry trailed off angrily. He didn't want anyone to hear their arguing. "What happened with you was a mistake, just like you said. A _mistake_!" Harry emphasized as he stared at Malfoy firmly. "And now I'm forgetting it ever happened! Okay? It _never_ happened! Tristan is different. We're friends and we're getting to know each other. Our relationship isn't a physical one," Harry said, being vague but honest so as not to give the entire truth away. "It's a _real_ relationship!"

Malfoy's eyes were fixed on him in a cold stare. Harry then wheeled around and walked away not even glancing back. He of course didn't tell Malfoy what _kind_ of relationship he and Tristan had, but he was hoping Malfoy would get the wrong impression.

Despite his curiosity about how Malfoy would react, Harry didn't go to breakfast the next morning and left early to go meet Tristan. He and Tristan spent the whole day together just getting to know one another. They went out to eat then went to go check out new brooms and later they ended up at an alchemist's shop. The alchemist was supposedly an old man who always wore a cloak so his face was partially concealed at all times. He was strange and lived alone and hardly ever talked, but he was also a collector of rare and valuable items. He would sometimes travel the world and seek out magical items or creatures that most people couldn't obtain.

Harry approached a head of a once live tyrant—it had enormous black eyes with bits of red in it and several layers of teeth. Its skin was a sickly gray color and felt strangely like a snake's skin. It was course but thick and although it was now somewhat dried, a charm placed on it kept it looking very much alive.

It was only the head, but it was even larger than an Ironbelly Dragon's head. Harry had never heard of tyrants before, but they had been around when dragon's first began to appear and they were much larger and much fiercer. Tyrants ate anything, including dragons. They were vicious and they could destroy a whole village quite easily. Thankfully they were now extinct and Harry wasn't quite sure how that came to be, but he wasn't complaining.

"So…people come here for useful items or just expensive decorations?" Harry asked as Tristan glanced over at him.

Tristan laughed. "Both actually."

"Interesting," Harry said, walking away from the head.

"Here," Tristan said, picking up something, "let me get you something wicked."

"Er, you don't need to buy it for me," Harry protested.

"I know, but I figure since we're good friends now and I had such a great time today, I could get you a graduation gift. Don't worry, it's not that expensive, but it comes in handy."

A few minutes later Tristan had purchased it and once they were outside he handed it to him. It was a ring, black in color and seemed rather plain.

"It changes color depending on what danger is nearby. Dark blue means some sort of creature or animal, red means dark magic, green means bad weather and white means a Dementor. Hopefully Dementors won't be a problem soon now that there's a discussion of either banning Dementors to an isolated region or even trying to find a way to get rid of them permanently."

Harry smiled. "Thanks, I love it. And I hope they find a way to get rid of them. They really don't do anything for our world."

Tristan nodded in agreement. "Well, I should be heading back, but I can't wait for the party!"

"Me either," Harry said, nodding. "See you then."

Tristan waved and then walked in the opposite direction. Harry stared down at the ring on his middle finger. It had magically shrunk to fit and it remained black. There was a slight glimmer of green in it so Harry wondered if it was going to rain soon.

At dinner, Harry ate minimally and kept glancing down at the ring. It was almost as if Tristan had made a move on him by buying it for him. He didn't really sense that Tristan wanted something more than friendship. He avoided Ron and Hermione in case they saw the ring and questioned it. He was going to go to the library, but when he saw Malfoy there talking with several other students he hurried back to his room. He wasn't sure why he was suddenly so nervous around Malfoy…perhaps it was that he didn't want Malfoy to see the ring and think for sure that he and Tristan were going out. Harry thought that's what he wanted, to see if Malfoy was interested by focusing his attention on someone else, but it still made him feel strange.

Harry didn't bump into Malfoy any more and the day of the party came. He wondered if Malfoy would actually show up and then he realized of course he would. Most likely Malfoy wanted to see Harry one last time and show off to him and maybe even humiliate him. Harry knew that was going to happen…it always did. Malfoy would probably never open up to anyone.

Sighing heavily, Harry dressed in the outfit he was going to wear for that afternoon. He was going to meet Ron and Hermione in the common room. He wore nice-fitting black pants and a dressy light gold shirt. When he went down to the common room he saw Hermione sitting on the couch in a long violet dress that was somewhat ruffled at the bottom. Her hair was pinned up in a violet barrette so that most of her hair was out of her face and her waves hung down her back.

"Harry, you look great!" Hermione beamed. "I sure hope Ron would hurry up and get here."

"Where is he?"

"He of course waited till the last minute to buy something to wear for this," she said, sighing.

Just then Ron burst into the common room panting with a bag in hand and ran up the stairs to the dorm room, slamming it closed.

"Well, there he is," Hermione said, shaking her head. "So, are you nervous about graduating?"

"A little. I still can't believe the ceremony is tomorrow evening. I really don't know what job I'll be able to get or when I'll be able to find something."

Hermione sat up straight and Harry went to go sit with her.

"Well, you said you're interested in sorcery, right?"

"Yeah, but it'll probably take a while to find anything to do with that. Not to mention I've got to get permission from the Ministry and create a research project to do. I'm told that I'll probably be studying for years before I get my license in sorcery. And I hate having to do it through the Ministry, but there aren't any schools for it anymore."

"True." Hermione nodded. "Do you know where you're going to live?"

Harry shrugged. "I've been looking at some wizard condos in Scotland. It's a close enough train ride to London so that way I won't be that far from the Ministry, but I'll have my distance while I'm, hopefully, earning my sorcery license. Also, it'd be nice to go somewhere that I haven't been…you know just to get away."

"I understand," Hermione said, rubbing his arm.

Ron came rushing down the stairs, nearly tripping. "I'm ready! Are we late?"

"No, we have ten minutes to get there," Hermione said as she stood up. "But you certainly came close."

"Let's go," Harry interrupted before a fight could begin.

The three of them left together and headed to the place on their brooms. Harry was a little nervous about going to the party, but he was looking forward to hanging out with Tristan and everyone else. The Hog's Head was packed with students and friends and everyone seemed to be grouped together talking amiably. Harry, Ron and Hermione were instantly greeted by Ginny and her boyfriend, Luna and her boyfriend (a boy named Cadeyn from Australia, who seemed to be a lot like her). Also Seamus, Neville, Dean and others from past years at Hogwarts were there.

Magically, Butterbeers came floating over to them. Harry talked with his classmates and shared their ideas of the future. At the same time, he glanced around for both Malfoy and Tristan. A few minutes later, Harry spotted Malfoy with some other Slytherins, both older and younger, and some others that he didn't recognize from Hogwarts (which meant they could've been from other schools). They were drinking something other than Butterbeers and Harry bet it was more potent. He watched Malfoy from the side for a couple of minutes but Malfoy seemed preoccupied with his conversation with the others. Harry was then distracted by a tap on the shoulder. Turning, he saw Tristan standing there grinning at him.

"Tristan! I'm so glad you made it!" Harry smiled, feeling more relieved.

"Of course, this is some party."

"Harry, who's this?"

Harry turned to see Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Luna watching him. Dean, Seamus and Neville wandered off and were busy talking with other students. Harry smiled and gestured to Tristan.

"This is my friend Tristan. He graduated from the Embervale Academy last year."

"Pleasure to meet you," Tristan said, smiling as he shook all their hands.

"You too. Sorry, I'm going to go sit with my boyfriend," Ginny said, smiling apologetically.

"Don't drink anything alcoholic!" Ron exclaimed after her.

"If she does it'll probably be because of the Magwitch Fairies," Luna said in her usual dazed tone. Smiling, she then turned and walked away, probably to go find her own boyfriend.

"Seriously, Cadeyn is a perfect match for her. He's just as strange and he's definitely a history geek," Ron stated.

Hermione slapped his arm and shook her head. "He's cute and he really likes Luna. I'm going to say hi to some friends. I'll be sitting over there," she pointed. "Nice to meet you Tristan."

"Likewise," he said, smiling.

Hermione walked off and Ron cleared his throat awkwardly. "So, er…how did you two meet?"

"Oh, well we bumped into each other in Hogsmeade. I mistook him for someone else," Tristan said.

"Oh. So you know he's the fam—OWWW!" Ron exclaimed, stumbling as Harry slapped his back rather harshly.

"Ron, you're just too funny," Harry said, laughing forcefully and gave Ron a look. "Of course Tristan realizes I'm a…a Seeker, but that doesn't mean I'll become a famous Quidditch player. I really don't even want to go into Quidditch."

Tristan glanced between them looking a bit bewildered, but he smiled. "So you two are pretty close friends, right?"

"Yeah, we've known each other since first year," Harry said.

Ron sent him a glare but thankfully he didn't say anything else.

"That's great. I don't have very many people that I keep in touch with from school."

Harry nodded and Ron just cleared his throat again.

"Er, I'm going to go sit down and order another drink," Ron said.

"Alright," Harry said.

Ron gave Tristan a half-smile and then walked off and Harry then turned to him.

"Sorry, my friends can be a bit unusual at times."

Tristan laughed. "They're not unusual. It's fine. How about we find a place to sit down as well? I'm getting tired of standing."

"Sure," Harry said, nodding.

The only free table was one off in the corner and they sat down. Harry noticed that many people from Hogwarts were here and it felt nice to see everyone hanging out together. He was definitely going to miss being in school. He and Tristan had barely gotten their drinks and started talking when Malfoy sauntered over. Harry glanced up surprised and felt his stomach squirm.

"Well, look who's here," Malfoy sneered and then glanced over at Tristan. "And you are?"

"Tristan," he responded, blinking in confusion.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed a bit and he sneered at Harry. "Well, now that graduation is tomorrow I soon won't have to see your face anymore, Potter."

"Wait, _Potter_?" Tristan asked, jerking his head over to him. "You're Harry Potter?"

Harry clenched his jaw and glared up at Malfoy who seemed surprised, but smirked with satisfaction.

"Er, yeah. Would you excuse me?" Harry said, standing up. "Malfoy, we need to speak outside."

"I don't really feel like it, Potter," Malfoy smirked.

"You afraid?" Harry challenged.

Malfoy's smirk faded and he snorted. "Fine, Potter."

Harry followed Malfoy outside, leaving Tristan staring at him still dumbfounded. Once they were outside, Harry glared at the blond.

"What the hell is your problem?"

Malfoy crossed his arms smugly. "It's not my fault you failed to mention that little detail. And if that's all you have to say—"

"Why the hell do you keep bothering me?" Harry snapped. "You say that you want to ignore one another's existence but then you always have to ruin my day, don't you?"

"Don't you mean ruin your _date_?" Malfoy sneered, raising an eyebrow. "Just out of curiosity, what do you think everyone inside will say if I announce you're gay?" he drawled.

"I can deny it! Like hell anyone's going to believe you over me!" Harry exclaimed angrily.

Snorting, Malfoy uncrossed his arms. "And what about if your date finds out that it's easy for you to shag people? I'll bet he'll care that you forced yourself upon me."

"I did not force myself!" Harry hissed furiously, trying to keep his voice low. "You're despicable! I could easily say that you were the one who initiated everything, because that is partly true! And you know what, I could easily announce to everyone that you put me under a spell and seduced me!"

"You wouldn't _dare_!" Malfoy snapped, taking out his wand.

Harry took out his wand as well and they both projected their spells without words. Their spells collided and made a huge explosion that threw them off their feet. Harry felt a strange tingling sensation throughout his body and when he hit the ground he suddenly felt something wet beneath him. Struggling to get up, Harry soon realized that he was not outside the Hog's Head anymore. He was lying in wet grass surrounded by tall, looming trees and he jerked his head in surprise to find Malfoy not far away.

The blond coughed and then stood up shakily. He too noticed their surroundings and glanced around in both shock and concern.

"What the hell did you do Potter?" Malfoy shouted.

"What do you mean what did I do? What did _you_ do?" Harry retorted loudly.

They both still had their wands pointed at one another and they were staring at each other harshly. Sudden growling and moaning made Harry and Malfoy turn their heads around them. They weren't alone. The two exchanged nervous glances at one another and Harry slowly lowered his wand.

"What is that?"

"How the hell should I know?" Malfoy spat, lowering his wand. "I'm getting out of here."

Malfoy tried to apparate, but nothing happened.

"This place must be magically protected somehow," Harry said. "Either that or we're too far away to apparate back to the Hog's Head."

"I don't really bloody care, Potter! I just want out of here!"

A loud growl made them both jump slightly and out of the shadows came creatures staggering. Harry noticed instantly that they were like walking corpses only they weren't Inferi they were some kind of animal, but their skin was sickly and peeling and their eyes were yellow. They had a horrid smell to them as well and they appeared hungry. The creatures were larger than wolves and had four legs, but only three long claws on each paw. They didn't really have fur, they had skin that was grey and appeared to be rotting, or something. One of them lunged toward them and instantly he and Malfoy ran in the opposite direction.

They ran as fast as possible, not daring to look back. The creatures were howling behind them and breathed some sort of magical fumes at them. Thankfully they had a bit of a head start, but if they didn't find shelter soon they'd be eaten alive. Harry nearly got hit with the creature's breath but just barely dodged it. As they ran, trying to keep ahead of the creatures, Harry got an idea.

"Malfoy! We need to find someplace high."

The blond glanced at him as they ran and Harry could clearly see fear in his eyes. "And what if they can bloody climb, Potter?"

"Have you got a better suggestion?" Harry shouted, jumping over a fallen trunk.

They didn't have time to talk as the creatures began gaining on them. There were about five, from what Harry could see, but he didn't want to take any time seeing if there were more.

"Look!" Harry shouted, pointing. "There's a pile of rocks! If we can use our magic to levitate on top of them we might be safe! Maybe there's even a cave somewhere there!"

"Fine!" Malfoy shouted back.

The two ran and levitated up onto the rocks. The creatures jumped high, but couldn't quite reach. Harry and Malfoy ducked down, resting against some rocks and thankfully still high up. They were panting breathlessly and Harry slumped down, resting his head on the rock behind him.

"We need to find a way out of here, maybe like reach a clearing away from the trees," Harry said, out-of-breath. "From what we're told in class that was the best option to being able to apparate out of a magically protected place."

Malfoy glanced at him and gave him a cool stare. "That's great Potter. There's only who knows how many of those creatures probably waiting for us to leave this spot."

"I'd rather not die here, Malfoy," Harry shot back.

"Oh, right, so you can go back to your boyfriend," Malfoy drawled coolly.

"You're wrong!" Harry exclaimed, sitting up straight as he glared at him. "Me and Tristan aren't dating!"

Propping his back against the wall, Malfoy sneered. "Oh really? If that's true, how come you didn't deny it before?"

"Because you just assumed you knew what you were talking about! And I didn't feel the need to clear it up because it's none of your business!" Harry retorted.

They heard distant noises and they stopped talking for a minute.

"Look, let's just get to a clearing so we can hopefully get out of here," Harry said quietly. "What spell did you think of anyway?"

Malfoy crossed his arms. "A projection spell, obviously, Potter."

"To what?"

The blond sneered. "To project you naked in order to humiliate you."

Harry glared. "Yeah, well that's just immature. I was thinking of a momentum spell, which obviously would move you to a different area, and then I was also thinking of a hex. So the combination of all of those transported us to a _bare_ spot."

"Don't blame me, Potter! If you hadn't thought of a momentum spell we might not be in this mess!"

"And if _you_ hadn't thought of your immature spell we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Harry stared at him harshly and Malfoy gazed back coldly.

"Let's just get going Potter before I go insane from being around you for too long," Malfoy drawled.

They carefully got down, trying not to make too much noise. They hesitated before stepping foot back on the ground and they ran as quickly and quietly as possibly toward the clearing, which was through the forest. They ran, hoping that the setting sun would make it more difficult to find them. They ran and ran and Harry's heart was pounding and his lungs were burning, but he knew they were close. They could see the clearing.

And then something jumped out from the trees and Harry heard Malfoy cry out in pain. Harry whirled around in a panic to see Malfoy on the ground and a creature with its mouth around his calf.

"Rictusempra!" Harry bellowed.

The spell hit the creature, throwing it off Malfoy onto its back and Harry kept firing spells at it to get it so it wasn't so close. He approached Malfoy who was groaning and wincing in pain as he clutched his bloody leg.

"Malfoy, can you stand?" Harry asked hurriedly as he continued firing spells and charms to keep the creatures back.

"No…it hurts too much," Malfoy hissed, squeezing his eyes shut.

More creatures were coming and Harry began to panic. Using his training, he transfigured a rock into a cloth and wrapped Malfoy's leg as the blond winced in agony. Harry then created a burst of fire that made a temporary wall so that they could hopefully get to a safe place. He had to levitate Malfoy and then ran as fast as he could, while keeping an eye on Malfoy. The clearing was still a distance away and Harry felt they couldn't make it, at least not until it was dark enough so they'd be harder to find.

Harry knew that Malfoy was bleeding badly as well and he had to dress the wound before Malfoy lost too much blood. Harry stopped suddenly when he saw a small rocky mountain-type form. There was a small hole, just big enough for them to squeeze through. Harry headed toward that, using a spell that would hopefully throw the creatures off their scent. He then carefully levitated Malfoy inside, accidentally scraping the blond's arm gently against the rock and then he hurried in after him. After setting Malfoy down softly, he put up protection charms where the opening was which would hopefully be good enough for a while.

Malfoy was out-of-breath and appeared to be in a lot of discomfort and pain. Harry saw that there was a puddle of water in the center of the small cavern, probably from the cracks in the ceiling when it rained. Harry went over to him and helped prop him up against the cavern wall. Harry then summoned another cloth and dipped it in the water.

"Malfoy, I need to lift up your pant leg," Harry said as he knelt down in front of him.

The blond was sweating a little and he stared at him, but very slowly he pulled his pant leg up. He winced several times as he did so and Harry removed the other cloth slowly before he put the damp one on. Malfoy hissed and tensed his muscles and Harry could sense that the blond was trying not to show how much pain he was really in.

"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to stop the bleeding and clean it a little," Harry said. "The clearing isn't that far away, but I'm thinking we'll have a better chance once it gets dark."

Malfoy winced and swallowed thickly. "Are you saying that you're going to levitate me…," he trailed off, hissing in pain as Harry cleaned his wound, "the whole way?"

"There's no other option. You can't walk let alone run."

"Potter…it'll slow you down. We'll both be an easier target," Malfoy argued, trying to sound firm, but it was hard when it was obvious he was in agony.

Harry glanced up at him with concern. "Not if we have enough of a head start. Malfoy, if we don't try this they'll find our spot sooner or later and then we'll really be trapped."

Malfoy's wound was still bleeding, but it wasn't as bad as before. Harry made sure to tie the cloth tightly so that it would help stop it completely. Harry waited a while for it to get dark and Malfoy tried resting his head against the wall, but the pain made it so he couldn't get comfortable. After some time, Harry heard Malfoy shifting and he looked up to see that the blond appeared rather pale.

"Malfoy, are you okay?"

The blond swallowed. "I don't feel so good, Potter."

His voice was weak and shaky and Harry instantly went over to him. He carefully unwound the cloth to look at the wound, wondering if perhaps it was infected, when he saw that it was swollen and leaking a sickly blue color.

"Shit!" Harry exclaimed.

Malfoy's head jerked up instantly. "What, Potter?" he asked fearfully.

Harry glanced at him, noticing that his face had perspiration and he pressed the back of his hand to Malfoy's forehead.

"You feel like you have a fever," Harry said quickly. "Malfoy…I think the bite of that creature is poisonous! Your wound…it's leaking a blue liquid and that's usually the sign of being poisoned by a magical creature."

Malfoy's eyes widened and he seemed to not look so good.

"We have to leave now! If we don't…I…I don't know how fast the poison is. If only there was a dittany plant somewhere we could slow it down," Harry spoke rapidly, feeling his heart lurch painfully in his chest. "Come on!"

He grabbed Malfoy's arm and helped him up and then quickly levitated him. Harry removed the protective charms and slowly squeezed out, trying not to hurt Malfoy. Instantly, he began to run in the direction of the clearing. It was definitely darker out and although it wasn't pitch black hopefully they would get a good head start.

Harry ran as his fear of Malfoy dying consumed him. He glanced at the blond every minute and after ten minutes of running, Harry saw that Malfoy's head was beginning to droop. Harry stopped instantly and crouched behind a bush, levitating Malfoy gently to the ground. The blond's eyes were barely open and his face was burning.

"Malfoy! Malfoy, look at me!" Harry exclaimed, getting the blond's eyes to gaze up at him. "You have to hang on, okay?"

"Potter…," Malfoy whispered hoarsely.

"I'm going to get you back to Hogwarts safely, okay? But you have to hold on just a little longer," Harry whispered desperately.

The blond's eyes fluttered and began to close and Harry put a hand on Malfoy's cheek.

"Malfoy, don't! Please, stay with me! I don't want you to die!"

The blond's eyes opened and Malfoy stared up at him. He looked pale and sickly but he at least seemed to comprehend everything he was saying.

"Why the hell…do you care, Potter?" Malfoy struggled.

"Why would you ask me something like that? Malfoy, I…this isn't the time for this. You're running out of time. Just please hold on we're almost there."

Harry heard distant growling and instantly he levitated Malfoy up and began to run faster than he ever had in his life. The blond's head lolled, but his eyes remained opening. It seemed like it became harder and harder for Malfoy to stay conscious. A howl sounded and Harry turned to see a creature chasing, but he sent a powerful hex back and the creature exploded in flames. Harry jumped over several fallen branches and nearly fell as he reached the clearing. Levitating Malfoy's body down to his arms, he turned to see another creature approaching as grey liquid drooled from its mouth and its beady eyes fixed on him. Harry held Malfoy close and concentrated.

He felt the familiar tug and a wave of relief flooded through him. He appeared at the Hog's Head again and instantly summoned his broom. He flew back to Hogwarts with a barely conscious Malfoy and ran into the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomprey was thankfully there cleaning up and was shocked to see the state of Malfoy's condition. She instantly contacted McGonagall about it and lay Malfoy down on one of the beds. She attended to him quickly without any time to tell Harry to leave.

The blond was pale and trembling and Madam Pomprey worked for several hours as Harry stayed and watched, hoping that it wasn't too late. After several hours, Malfoy's body had stopped trembling, but his fever was still very high and his wound was still swollen. Madam Pomprey put a lot of magical cream on the wound and then she finally came over to where Harry was sitting anxiously.

"Potter, thank Merlin you got him here when you did. He was bitten by a Morticious Demon—a very dangerous dark creature."

"So, he's going to be alright?" Harry asked, glancing at the unconscious Malfoy.

Wiping her brow, Madam Pomprey nodded. "Yes, he'll live, but there may be some consequences to the bite. I'm trying to prevent any magical issues or memory loss. Sometimes side-effects can get as bad as the limb that was bitten becoming deformed, but I'm sure I can heal his wound. He should be alright, hopefully with minimal damage."

"What's minimal damage?"

"Just a scar, nothing more," Madam Pomprey said, sighing. "If you want to visit with him a while you can. He's unconscious, but I'm going to have to apply cream to the wound every hour. I hope that within an hour I can get his fever down enough. Do you know how this happened?"

Harry sighed and explained to her their fight and the spells used.

"I see. That's a very dangerous and unfortunate combination," she sighed. "If it were on school grounds, it probably wouldn't have been that bad, but being outside of the protected castle…well, anything can happen. I'm going to make some more medicinal cream."

Harry nodded to her as she left. He then went to sit by Malfoy's side. For a while he just watched the blond sleep. After some time, Malfoy moved his head but did nothing else. Harry tentatively reached down and grasped Malfoy's hand gently.

"Malfoy…I really wish you weren't so stubborn," Harry said softly. "You really will get yourself killed one of these days."

He hesitated and rubbed his thumb across the top of Malfoy's hand. "I care about you and I don't want anything to happen to you. I wish you could understand. This is so hard for me. I know we've never been friends…but I want to put the grudges and everything behind me. You know, it's stupid and I know you can't hear me, but when I followed you to the Embervale Academy I was actually hoping that we could become friends. I tried…but I guess I didn't use the right strategy. You just get me so frustrated sometimes."

Harry shook his head and stared down at him. The blond's eyes were shut, but thankfully not squeezed shut anymore. He was still pale and even though his face was turned away from him, Harry could tell that he looked slightly better. Harry glanced out the window and then back down at Malfoy. He sighed and kept his hand on Malfoy's.

"You asked me why I cared…," Harry whispered his thoughts aloud. "I told you before, but you just never listen. I don't just…shag people for the hell of it. I was actually trying to…to stupidly have a relationship with you. And that blew up in my face…," Harry trailed off.

The blond's breathing was even and Harry sighed heavily. Slowly, he released Malfoy's hand and stood up.

"I hope you get better," Harry said.

He then left and headed back to the common room. Ron and Hermione would no doubt be wondering where he was, but he was just too exhausted to care. He lay down on the bed without even bothering to change. His mind was in turmoil over Malfoy. The blond still acted so cold-hearted and stubborn. It seemed that he would never change. Once again, Harry had to save his life. This time it didn't end up in them having sex. And the next evening they'd graduate and he knew that Malfoy wouldn't change and become a better person by then. He'd probably be the same arrogant arse the rest of his life. Closing his eyes, Harry fell asleep.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

To Reviewers: 

**HyperMint: **Hey! Yeah, I know this has a very different feel than Captivation. It's not as "happy" per se, but it won't end badly, I promise! Rhapsody means basically like sexual desire or ecstasy/rapture. You get the idea, hehe! But it's hinting at the passion between Draco and Harry. I hope to do another AU H/D story, but it all depends on how crazy life is. We'll see! I'll update asap!

**Missy Padfoot: **Awww, thank you! Well, this is the turning point I was telling you about! Finally, it gets much better between Draco and Harry. I will update asap!

**Misstree: **Hehe, well Harry's plan didn't exactly go as he expected, but don't worry. From now on things between him and Draco will be better, less frustrating. And very, very shortly the real, true romance will appear.

**BoozeHound: **Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying this! Lol! Sorry, no Blaise in this story. That would require several chapters of Harry getting to know Blaise and having a relationship with him, but that's not what I was looking for. Just a misunderstanding, of sorts. Don't worry, things will be much better between him and Draco from now on! I'll update asap!

**Maegwin: **It was a weird bet, but it was Harry's strange attempt at seeing if he was gay, but mainly to see if he was truly attracted to Malfoy. Anywhoo, their relationship now gets better!

**Kai'sgrl: **Aww, thank you! I'm so glad you liked it! And finally Draco and Harry's relationship will be better, from now on. Hehe! I'll update asap!


	20. A Subtle Change

**Pure Rhapsody**

**Chapter 19: A Subtle Change**

Harry was so restless he couldn't get any sleep that night. When morning came, Harry was anxious about graduation, which would occur that evening. Before breakfast, he went to the hospital wing and Madam Pomprey told him Malfoy was resting and he would be fine come graduation time. He went up to the Owlry and sent a message to the Ministry asking for an appointment due to career options. He knew that once graduation came he'd have to find his own place to live, temporarily of course until he found out where his career would take him. Harry wasn't hungry for breakfast but he went down anyway to talk with Ron and Hermione. Seated with them were Seamus, Dean, Neville, Luna and Ginny.

"Harry! There you are!" Dean exclaimed as Harry sat down to join them.

"Where've you been mate?" Ron asked.

"Sorry, err, slept in," he lied.

Ginny cocked her head and smiled. "That's alright. What're doing when you graduate? Are you going to stay in London?"

Seamus nudged Dean and leaned into his ear, but he didn't realize Harry could hear him: "I know exactly why Ginny wants to know that. I'll bet she plans on marrying him."

Harry didn't even look at them and focused on his friends, trying not to react to the comment.

"Er, actually, the only plan I've got is to go to the Ministry and try to apply for an independent study on sorcery."

"What in Merlin's name are you going to do with that?" Seamus joked, purposefully using the appropriate pun.

"He could do…teach, or just save the world on a daily basis," Ginny joked, smiling.

Harry shifted in his seat. "Er, I think I'd rather not."

"He could work for the Ministry," Luna said in a wispy voice.

Hermione glanced at her. "Well, they don't have any sorcerer positions, but I suppose he could help Aurors out."

"They might soon," Luna said, fixing her gaze on Harry.

Harry stared at her and saw her grey eyes flash intensely, but then she looked away.

"Well, I for one am going to travel and research," Hermione said proudly. "I'm going to work for the _Worldly Magical Knowledge_ company and help them travel around the world and research all the history of magic, which includes people and creatures. And their goal is to magically write one extremely large, but magically compacted, guide to the wizard world. And I got an offer to help based on my outstanding grades and my well-rounded education," she beamed.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well I'm going to try out for some Quidditch teams. And that's much more interesting than your future."

"Only if you get onto one," Dean pointed out and Ron glared at him.

"I'm definitely going to work for that Herbologist," Neville stated. "And maybe one day have my own shop."

"That'd be wicked," Ginny said.

Hermione turned to Harry, glancing down at his empty plate. "Aren't you going to eat something?"

"Er, no it's okay. I'm not hungry."

Ginny stared at him with concern, but Harry just smiled awkwardly and turned away. He hadn't realized Ginny still had feelings for him. He had thought she had moved on with another boy. Had they broken up or had she just been using him to forget about Harry? He certainly didn't want to have to tell her he was gay, otherwise she might question why he never told her before and that could lead to an uncomfortable conversation. Ever since his…confrontations with Malfoy, he finally decided he liked blokes but what made it worse was that he admitted it to Malfoy.

He found out Hermione was moving to Scotland and Ginny was going to remain at her parents' house until she found a job she liked. She said her dad suggested working at the Ministry, but she didn't want to; she was interested in clothing, both witch and wizard, and wanted to open up her own shop one day. Ron bragged about moving to France to join one of the Quidditch teams there; he was going to try out. That meant almost all of his friends were moving away or at least going to move on with their lives and Harry had no idea where to go next.

The day passed quickly and Harry couldn't help dreading graduation. Soon it was time and the tables had been cleared and comfortable seats were seen in the center of the Great Hall, facing where the podium was. There were four rows of chairs filled with the seventh years from each house. First row was Hufflepuff, second row was Slytherin, third row was Ravenclaw and fourth row was Gryffindor. The lights were dim and floating candles surrounded them in the colors of all four houses. There was confetti falling from the ceiling and just before reaching their heads the pieces vanished. Professor McGonagall stood at the podium smiling at all of them just as Dumbledore had done previous years, but her eyes didn't twinkle with a mysterious gleam like his had. The staff and other professors were behind her, all standing with smiles of their own, except for Filch who looked as if he'd rather be lost in the Forbidden Forest.

"Seventh years…it's been a difficult and challenging journey with you all these past couple of years. I know we've all lost ones we cared about during the war," she spoke softly, but still with a smile. "Dumbledore I know is proud of you all even though he can't be here. You've all done very well. I'm pleased with the way the houses learned to get along and work as a team; while it surely isn't perfect there's definitely been progress and someday I hope that there will be no grudges and no prejudices between any of the houses."

As she spoke everyone watched just breathless with anticipation of receiving their diplomas. Even the Slytherins, what remained, didn't fiddle around or occupy themselves with something else. She began speaking again, but Harry was distracted by a sound. It was the doors of the Great Hall opening and glancing toward his right he saw a lone figure enter. Draco Malfoy came in rather silently but still made Harry's heart leap into his throat. The blond surveyed the room as he walked quickly toward them, probably eyeing where there was an empty seat in the Slytherin row. As the blond walked, his eyes darted toward the Gryffindor row, just seemingly out of habit, and Harry jerked his head back toward the professor and shifted in his seat as if he was just trying to get comfortable. He was anxious and felt awkward, but he wasn't sure of the reason. Perhaps he was concerned that even in his unconscious state Malfoy had heard what he said to him while Harry had been there comforting the blond.

Draco slipped into his seat and not many turned their heads with curiosity. Professor McGonagall continued with her speech until it was over, ending with the words: "No matter what profession you all choose or what hardships will face you all in the future, I hope that you have learned everything here that you can and are prepared for the rest of your lives."

Everyone clapped and even stood up for her. And then with a wave of her wand she summoned the diplomas. They fell from the ceiling to each row and everyone caught theirs. Harry opened his and noticed that it was on a shimmering gold parchment with scarlet writing and it read:

_**Harry James Potter**_

_Sorted into Gryffindor and has completed and passed all requirements for Hogwarts and has done a job beyond the average achievement in most classes. His strongest achievement is in Defense Against the Dark Arts and his weakest is History of Magic. Overall, splendid job and all Hogwarts' professors wish him the best for the future. _

_Graduated with an overall EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS (E) for both O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.s_

_Take care,_

_Headmistress McGonagall_

As everyone cheered, the tables appeared in their rightful places, as the ceremony chairs disappeared, and all tables were filled with gourmet meals and desserts in celebration of the event. Harry sat down with his friends thankful that he had an appetite. He spent the entire dinner in casual conversations with friends and tried desperately not to look to see where Malfoy was sitting.

"I'm satisfied," Hermione said, smiling. "I got an overall O."

Ron rolled his eyes. "We didn't expect anything different."

"I can't believe it's over. It only feels like a little while ago that we were fifth year, or even fourth years," Ron grumbled, leaning on his hand. "I'm going to miss playing pranks on Slytherins and hanging out in the common rooms."

"Stop brooding, Ron. You have to grow up some time. Life can't always been about adventure and fun," Hermione said.

Harry kept quiet and listened to them talk. They had conversations with others around them and then they went to the Gryffindor common room for a small party. By the time they went to bed it was well past one in the morning and Harry lay in his bed dreading the next day. His life was so uncertain and it had felt like forever until he graduated. Now the time had come and he didn't feel he was ready to leave.

The next day unfortunately came and Harry soon found himself hugging all his friends goodbye. Seamus, Dean, Neville, Luna, and others promised to keep in touch by owl. Harry knew he probably would lose touch with quite a few them over the next year or so. It was sad to think about, but everyone had to go their own way.

"Harry, promise you'll still stop by at least every holiday," Ginny pleaded.

Ron was busy trying to say goodbye to Hermione as Harry stood there next to Ginny.

"I'll try, but I just don't know what my life's going to be like. I don't know how much time I'll have or even where I'll be," Harry said, feeling the lump in his throat.

He could see Ginny's eyes turn red but no tears fell. She nodded and crossed her arms.

Ron and Hermione finally hugged one another awkwardly.

"Don't worry, I'll keep in touch with you both," Hermione said, wiping at her eyes. "I know we all have very different careers in mind, but I hope we can still have times where we get together to catch up maybe over a mug of butterbeer."

"Definitely," Harry said, smiling reluctantly.

Ron nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

"This is so sad," Ginny said, shaking her head. "I'm going to go say goodbye to Luna and Alina again."

Once Ginny left it was just the three of them standing around waiting outside of Hogwarts. Many students had already taken off back home and even some of them probably went straight to wherever their career-start was. It was becoming emptier. Harry looked around for Malfoy but the blond wasn't in sight; he felt his stomach tighten with disappointment.

"What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked. "Are you sad to be leaving?"

"Er, yeah," he said, turning back to his friends. "I just…I wish Voldemort hadn't been after me since I arrived. I feel like I missed out on so much."

Smiling sadly, Hermione nodded. "Don't dwell on it too much, Harry. Just be thankful he's finally gone."

"I am," Harry said.

"Well…er, I guess we'll keep in touch," Ron said, coming over to Harry and shaking his hand.

They both put one arm around one another and patted each other's back. Hermione just smiled even as her lips trembled.

"I better get going. My parents are planning a special dinner for me," Hermione said. "And in a couple of days I'll be packing and heading off…I guess this is goodbye, for now anyway."

"Yeah," Ron said, looking down at the ground.

"I'll owl you both once I get settled and once we all sort of figure out our career schedules we'll know when we might be able to get together."

Harry came forward and hugged Hermione. After their embrace she waved to them and then Ron turned to him and they said goodbye once more. Ginny came back and waved too, looking more glum than any of them, and then Harry was flying through the air toward the Ministry. He had made an appointment, luckily, to speak to one of the aurors there, being since he had no place to go (and there was no way he'd ever even consider the Dursleys again). His plan was to stay in an inn temporarily until he figured out where he was going to live and what he was planning to do. And then he would have to buy his own place.

The Ministry was rather deserted when he arrived, but he went up the elevator to the room he was told to go to. He only had to knock once when the door opened magically.

"Come in."

Harry entered and saw a much older man sitting at a desk scribbling notes with his quill. He looked up and smiled.

"Good day Mr. Potter. Please sit."

Harry sat down and waited anxiously as the auror finished scribbling notes.

"Now, you said you wished to talk about career options," the auror said. "My name is Dolgott, by the way. What sort of job are you looking for?"

"Er…actually, I really want to study sorcery," Harry said.

The auror's eyebrows rose and he nodded slowly. "Oh, I see. Well…it's a very, er, challenging option. Being since we don't have a Minister as of yet, until elections next month, I can only grant you a temporary agreement. We'll have to monitor your achievement in your individual studies and test you in a couple of months to see if you're really serious about it. If you pass the test you're free to do whatever you wish with sorcery, but…I must admit, Mr. Potter, it's very difficult to find suitable jobs in that field. It's so broad and well…short of teaching I'm not really sure what you could do with it.

"Still, that is an option that we offer through the Ministry. I'm afraid it's not granted freely anymore because people would use sorcery in the wrong means, as I'm sure you're aware," the auror said, referring obviously to Voldemort. "It used to be that anyone could just borrow sorcery books from our libraries and study it whenever and wherever, but now it's much more restricted because of the disastrous outcomes. Now those who have studied it, like Dumbledore, have become teachers, but even he didn't study it completely. He stopped at a point. As I'm sure you know, sorcery can take one's whole lifetime to complete, if studied slowly and in detail, or many, many years. There are so many different kinds of magic, both dark and other, and so many creatures to learn about in this world and all the dangers that come with it and how to protect oneself. It's a lot of work.

"You'll need to research and travel to discover the origins of magic and how to strength yourself and become an expert in all areas of magic. You could start with Merlin or even Merlin's progeny. Perhaps even the very first few wizards and witches spread out across the globe; it depends on what you want to be your main focus. The history of all magic or just learning in depth about all the forms of magic in people, creatures, items, etc."

Harry nodded, feeling rather uneasy. Although he loved learning about magic, it was an independent study, which meant he probably would be alone much of the time, at least in his studies (no help like he had from Dumbledore) and even with the knowledge he would still have to figure out what to do with it eventually. He had a large fortune thanks to his parents and Sirius but it wouldn't last the rest of his life without a job.

The auror crossed his hands and leaned forward. "Are you sure you want to do this? It is very risky. I know your history and that you've faced many dangers, but accidents can happen. Because it's an individual journey you could perhaps be eaten by a carnivorous plant that you didn't know about, or accidentally find yourself in the territory of a Hungarian Horntail. There's so much to know about places and where certain creatures reside, their powers, how to face them, and about all types of wizards and magic out there that anything could happen.

"Not to mention, Mr. Potter….," he trailed off and adjusted his rather large glasses. "Because it's been so restricted due to deaths and people abusing the knowledge, many sorcery books, including history books about certain sorcerers and hermits and hags and others that knew some sorcery, have been destroyed or lost. Without the background knowledge, it'll be even more challenging to become an expert. As you know legilmency and occlumency are also part of sorcery, but it has been forbidden to teach for the past thirty or so years, again due to those abilities being abused and uncontrollable. Animagus forms can be part of it, but once again it's not taught anymore. Everything you will have to figure out on your own. We can only supply you with a temporary agreement and the test. Do you understand?"

Harry swallowed. "Yes sir. Er, if there's only one test how would I become a certified sorcerer?"

"There really is no such thing as a certified sorcerer. If you know absolutely all your stuff then you're an expert and people will only know this if you show or tell them. There used to be a very advanced test after a minimum of twenty years, for those practicing sorcery, to see how much of an expert they've become, but when most things connected to sorcery were banned the test was no longer available. I suppose if someone, some company somewhere, needs a sorcerer or wants one you can put it in your interview but then it'd be up to you how to prove it, if necessary and such. Who knows…maybe one day sorcery will come back, but for now this is all we can offer you."

"Okay…," Harry said.

"If you're sure you'd like to try it, please sign this," he said, sliding a piece of parchment toward him.

Harry hesitated only for a second and then signed his name. If sorcery didn't work out he could always stop studying it and then find something else. For now, it was all he could think to do.

"Alright. You're all set. Come back in a maximum of five months to take the test. The minimum number would be three months. It's just a simple test to see what you've managed to do on your own, nothing in depth, but we just want to make sure you seem under control. No one's really concerned that much these days because sorcery is hard to study due to information being lost or destroyed, or not taught anymore. But it's still required. We'll see you soon Mr. Potter."

Nodding, he slid out of his seat and slowly walked out of the Ministry. He'd have to owl Hermione and see if she knew about any places or books with information so at least he could find where to start. Harry bought a room at the Leaky Cauldron Inn since he was familiar with it and it wasn't that expensive. There was a new temporary inn keeper who was very nice, but quiet and all she did was magically move his things up to his room. He sent an owl to Hermione, hoping that she wasn't too busy to respond. It wasn't until two days later that he received a reply. She told him the only good source that she knew was still around were some ancient scrolls in Ireland.

A couple weeks passed and Harry was in Ireland getting as much information as he could. The ancient scrolls had little information and referred to a couple mystical books and pamphlets that had been missing for years. However, a week after that Harry got something incredibly intriguing. It was an owl that sent him this message;

_I heard you were searching for information on sorcery. I can give you a sacred book owned by a dark wizard that not only studied Merlin but fought him, as well as others before Merlin's time. If you're interested comes to The Dragon's Claw in Wales. _

There was no signature and Harry was feeling rather uneasy. But he needed information otherwise there was no way he'd be able to get a start in sorcery. Without a place to start, he wouldn't have a way of learning and finding out sources of magic that he needed to know. It was in a public place so Harry decided to take the risk.

It took him some time to find The Dragon's Claw because it was a small pub beneath an inn in Brecon, Wales. It was smoky and the lights were dim when he entered. There were many people scattered around drinking and conversing. Harry stopped near the entrance and looked about. Everyone seemed to be sitting down at tables. He was about to head toward one of the servers when a voice startled him.

"Here, behind you."

Harry wheeled around and saw a figure not much taller than himself dressed in a long black cloak. The hood was over his head covering much of his face. He wore cloves and while his hair was hidden, his hazel eyes stood out.

"Here, take this," the figure said, holding out a thick ancient-looking book. It appeared to be made of leather or perhaps skin from some sort of creature. "This is what you need."

Once Harry reached out for it, the figure shoved it in his arms and whirled around.

"Wait!" Harry exclaimed, approaching him. "Who are you? When do you need it back?"

The figure didn't turn all the way around and just waved his hand hurriedly. "You can keep it. I have no need for it."

"Do you want me to pay you? I…how do I find you if I have questions?"

"No, Potter!" the man exclaimed in a harsh whisper. "Sorcery is an independent study. And I've helped you enough by giving you this. You won't be able to contact me again. That book is a very rare book," he said, pointing at it. "It's one of two books left that haven't been stolen or destroyed so you better not lose it."

The figure then wheeled around and walked out. Harry tried to follow him but when he got outside the man was gone. Harry went back to the inn and decided to take a look at the book. The mysterious man had to have known his sorcery plans through one source: the Ministry. So Harry would take a trip to the Ministry to see if he could find the identity of the man the next day, but for that evening he would examine the book.

For several hours, Harry flipped through the book and read its pages. It was incredibly fascinating. There were incantations that he had never heard of and directions on how to use certain magic. It appeared to be a Dark Arts book because the author of it named himself Salazar's prodigy. And Harry gathered from one passage that this person had known Salazar personally:

_Another day of watching the great Salazar. It's his last year of school and yet he still hasn't figured out that I've been learning from him. I see him with those that he's picked out—those that seemed worthy to him. He's got a lot of power, but does anyone know his secret? I know his secret…I know many of his secrets. He steals abilities! He killed a hag for her powers and he continues to do so. He has his own abilities, but he never would've figured it out on his own. And I've written everything down—everything that I've seen and learned from him and others. I should be his prodigy, but no one ever notices me. _

_Here's another incantation for summoning a Basilisk. It looks difficult, but I've written it down in detail. I've been practicing by myself when I'm alone and I'm getting much better at magic. My grades are even improving. And Salazar still doesn't notice me. Well, he will…he will…_

_I've stolen all this information below from several libraries and even one book from Salazar's room. It's all about Merlin and Merlin's prodigies. Salazar tells everyone Merlin was rubbish; he wasn't that powerful at all, but yet he's learning everything he can about him. Salazar's got many secrets…I see him do things to other students; practicing dark magic on them in private. He wants to test the waters and see what combinations will produce what. Such genius! If only Salazar wasn't two years older than I…then I could watch him longer, but I'm running out of time! _

Harry skipped past the information this author had written about Merlin and his prodigies. He briefly read over some incantations out of curiosity and realized that if he practiced enough he could even summon a Basilisk. The ingredients were uncommon, but it wasn't impossible. This book would definitely get him a good head start in sorcery.

He read the last couple of pages that the author had scribbled in:

_No! Salazar saw me use one of his spells! He confronted me in the hallway and would've dragged me off to a private room if a professor hadn't come down the hallway! I have to hide this book! Even if he kills me when I graduate…even if I die, he'll never get his hands on this book! If he doesn't think I'm worthy, then I'll make sure his secrets are revealed. But I have to make sure that this book falls into the right hands…yes, I have to be at least one step ahead of him. He won't kill me now…no, everyone would know it's him, but he'll wait…he'll be patient until I graduate and then there'll be no hiding. But I could use his own tricks against him! It might not be enough, but my last words will be: _

"_All your secrets I have written in my own Dark Book! And you will never find it! And someday your secrets will be revealed! You won't be the only one to be able to use these abilities! And once people find out how you came to have this, not by your own innate powers, you won't be all that you hoped for! And this is what you get for ignoring me and thinking that I wouldn't be good enough in your group—that I could never be your prodigy! I know more about you than anyone else!" Yes! He'll never find it! It'll go to a stranger, yes…someone who appreciates the dark arts, someone who can keep a secret…_

It ended there and after that there weren't any more personal messages, just spells, or information regarding types of magic or certain people the author met and questioned. And then it stopped. It was probably passed down to someone, but Harry had no idea how it had survived this long. Harry read the book closely yet again until he got tired and decided to go to bed.

The next day he took a trip to the Ministry, making sure to magically protect the book and shrunk it and slipped it into his robe. He didn't know who to go to so he went up to a random auror.

"Excuse me," Harry said.

"Yes?" the auror asked, blinking widely. "Oh, Mr. Potter. What can I do for you? Are you lost?"

"Er, no. Thanks. I just…I was wondering if someone came in here a day or so ago asking about me."

The auror shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't a clue, but you could ask Auror Togene. He might've seen this person. He manages the first few floors of this building. I just saw him over there."

Harry was directed toward the area and saw an old, short man waving his hand over his head to protect himself from the flying parchments going over him. Harry approached him as the short man grumbled something about ill incantations under his breath.

"Excuse me," Harry said.

"What?" the old man asked.

"Er, I was wondering if someone came in here asking about me, er Harry Potter."

The old man furrowed his eyebrows and stared at him intensely. "Hmph! Do I look like a messenger owl? No? Thought so! Yes, yes, I heard someone ask about ye. Asked Auror Celle who 'Arry Potter seen, yes."

"Do you know who this person was?"

"Ask Auror Celle. She knows, yes, I'm sure."

He was directed to her office on the third floor and when he knocked a young brunette woman answered.

"Yes?"

"Hi, er, I'm Harry Potter. And I was told that someone asked you about me and I was wondering—"

"Ah yes, the young handsome gentleman that came in here a couple days ago. Yes, well I didn't catch his name. Is that what you're after?"

"Er…do you have a way of contacting him?"

"He didn't leave any contact information," she said, smiling apologetically.

Harry stood there at the door awkwardly for a minute. "Er…"

"Although," she said, as if she didn't notice the awkward silence, "he did leave his gloves here."

"Oh, er, may I see them?"

Giving him a shrug, she went into her office and came back with a pair of black gloves. An idea struck him and he looked at her.

"Er, I think these are my friend's. I'm pretty sure he came in here looking for me. I could give them back to him if you want."

"Alright," she said, handing them to him without a care. "I wasn't sure what to do with them anyway. Thanks!"

She gave him a quick smile and then closed her door. Harry held the silk gloves in his hands and realized that they were almost exactly the same as the pair on the man who gave him the book. Perhaps the man realized he'd lost his gloves and went out and bought another pair. Either way, Harry now had something of his. And using a spell in the book, if he managed to do it right, he could track down where he lived using the man's gloves.

That afternoon, Harry worked on the spell using the directions from the book. It was an interesting spell that required making a small potion and pouring it on the gloves and then speaking some Latin incantation. Harry waved his wand while speaking it as the book told him but nothing happened. Some time later, Harry realized that he wasn't pronouncing the words right for when he tried speaking them differently the gloves began to glow. They flopped around and then levitated in the air. Harry watched them as they flew toward the window. The gloves smacked into the window and began slapping at the glass. Harry hurriedly shrank the book, stuffed it in his robe and grabbed his broom. Then he opened the window and allowed the gloves to fly out and he followed them on his broom.

It wasn't that great of a distance. It seemed that the gloves were directing him to a place somewhere in Wales. That meant that the person he was looking for lived in Wales. It wasn't very smart for someone who wanted to remain anonymous. Perhaps the man thought Harry wouldn't ever find a way of knowing who he was. Moreover, this man seemed to still live quite a distance from The Dragon Claw, which was possibly the other reason he felt safe meeting Harry there.

He followed the gloves into a very nice neighborhood. It was already getting dark and he was grateful that it was the summer so it wasn't too dark yet. The gloves suddenly turned down another street and Harry followed only feet above the houses. He flew quickly so as not to lose the gloves. And then suddenly the gloves fell down toward a large condo and landed right in front of the door. Harry landed and shrunk his broom, stuffing it in his robe. Then he picked up the fallen gloves and approached the front door. He could see a light on in one of the windows, which meant someone was home.

Harry knocked on the door and waited several minutes but no one came to answer it. He knocked again, but still no answer. Wondering if perhaps the man couldn't hear him, or maybe was afraid to answer the door, Harry took a risk and tested one of the windows in the back of his house, using "alohomora." The window didn't budge. Harry inhaled deeply and tried to think. The light was still on in the same room and no one came to the door. Either the man had peered out of window where Harry couldn't see him and recognized him, or he just didn't want any visitors. Whatever reason, Harry felt he _had_ to get into that house.

Harry tried to remember some incantations from the book and instead remembered something else. Hermione had told him about "alohomora" and that it could be enhanced depending on the object it was used on. Perhaps if he combined one of the spells from the book with "alohomora" it might work. Harry thought of a spell, that Salazar had apparently used to reveal information to him when he killed people for their powers (so that he'd know how to use their abilities). And he used that spell with "alohomora" to reveal how to unlock the window. The window glowed and it showed Harry the weak spots—the owner of the house had cast a locking spell on the window with advanced protection, but had failed to protect it from being broken.

Harry prayed his method wasn't too noisy. He murmured a spell to shatter the glass and then slipped inside and murmured "reparo." The glass picked itself up and the window was once again whole. He waited, holding his breath, for any sounds to come from upstairs. When none came, he tip-toed toward the stairs and slowly ascended them. From what he could tell, this person was wealthy unless more than one person lived there. There was plenty of space in the room he was standing in—the room he assumed was the sitting room. There were soft plush couches—two large ones in that room, one black, one silver. And the carpet was a warm honey brown.

Slowly, Harry tore his eyes away from the darkened first floor and began to climb the stairs. He didn't know what he was doing! After all, he was trespassing but he needed to know who this man was. As long as he didn't get caught it wouldn't hurt. Or perhaps he could just pretend that he thought he heard someone tell him to come in. No, that wouldn't work if all the doors were locked. As Harry thought of excuses, he made it to the top floor and realized it was less spacious than the first floor but still plenty big. There was a light coming from beneath one of the room doors.

Swallowing, Harry tip-toed toward the door and pressed up against it listening for sounds. He heard a vague sound in the background but he couldn't hear any voices so he slowly grabbed the knob and turned it. Very carefully, he opened the door a crack. Sticking his eye up to the crack, he saw white plush carpet and part of what appeared to be a huge bed. No one seemed to be near the door so he opened it all the way and stepped inside. It was a bedroom that much was certain. It was very spacious, at least three times as big as the bedroom he had at the Dursleys, and had black and silver sheets. They were shiny, as if charmed and Harry figured that perhaps the sheets were charmed to protect whoever slept in it in case of burglars.

He felt a bit uneasy being since he was acting like a burglar, but his curiosity was overwhelming. He could pretend that he had found the man's gloves at the Ministry and could tell him he traced it back to the house. But as to how he would explain how he got inside? A sound caused him to turn and he saw that what appeared to be the bathroom door was jarred slightly. Harry held his breath and waited. He sure hoped this man wouldn't be angry…but there wasn't a doubt that he would be. The man hadn't wanted Harry to contact him again in the first place.

The door opened and Harry jumped. He didn't even have time to apparate or find a place to hide for the figure quickly walked out.

"Malfoy!" Harry blurted out loudly.

The blond whirled around so fast that his towel slipped from his hips and fell onto the carpet. Harry's eyes reflexively stared at the blond's privates for a quick second before he forced his eyes on Malfoy's face.

"POTTER!" Malfoy roared, picking up his towel hurriedly and searching desperately for his wand. It was lying idly on the bureau next to the bed.

"You! I can't believe it was you!" Harry exclaimed exasperated.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Malfoy shouted, his face turning red with rage.

"Not until you tell me why you lent me that book!" Harry shouted back.

Malfoy's fists clenched and his whole body trembled with anger. "Do you want me to call the authorities Potter and tell them that the famous idiotic Harry Potter broke into my house and is harassing me?" he bellowed.

"I just wanted to know who sent me this book! And also to bring back these," Harry said, pulling the gloves out of his pocket. "I guess these are yours."

Malfoy ran to his wand and Harry immediately took out his own.

"I don't care about those bloody gloves you moron! I didn't want you to find out because I didn't ever want to see your bloody face again! And then you go and stalk me! I should've never given you that book!"

"Why did you?" Harry shouted back. "I talked to the people at the Ministry and they said you asked about me. You went through the trouble of tracking me down first, Malfoy!"

The blond inhaled deeply and stared at him with wide eyes and a flushed face. His jaw and body were clenched in anger and he didn't respond right away. Harry breathed out heavily and then straightened his shoulders.

"Why did you help me?"

"It wasn't by choice, Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed, glaring at him. "I had a debt to you!"

"For what?"

"For saving my bloody life from those damn poisonous beasts!"

Harry narrowed his eyes at him. Malfoy always had to have the same attitude whenever they confronted one another. And yet he had seen a change in the blond over the course of their meetings and even seemed to be somewhat attracted to the stubborn Slytherin. He couldn't just let Malfoy walk away.

"Now that we're even, Potter, you can leave and never come back! And just so you know, if you refuse to leave I can report that you broke into my house!"

"I didn't break anything," Harry argued. "And I knocked on the door twice."

"I was in the bloody shower!" Malfoy shouted, gesturing to the bathroom door. "NOW LEAVE!"

"Why were you in a disguise? Why didn't you just owl it to me anonymously?" Harry asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

Malfoy gave him a look and unknowingly lowered his wand. "Are you daft Potter? That's a family heirloom and it's been kept secretly in our family for years! It's basically the only original book of sorcery left in this world and you think I would've risked sending it by owl?"

Harry opened his mouth but Malfoy straightened his wand once again. "Get out or I'll call the authorities."

Glaring, Harry was forced to turn around and stomp out of the room. He left the condo determined not to give in.

The next day he went to the Ministry and asked about Malfoy. He found out that Malfoy didn't currently have a job but that he's been applying to various Quidditch teams in hopes of landing a seeker position. Harry was able to bribe one of the aurors so he could see what team and where it was. Then Harry flew out to meet with the captain of the team. It took him some time to get to Ireland but when he got there he was relieved to find the team practicing out on the field.

Harry flew down toward the captain and asked if he could speak to him. Then he told him about his good "friend" Malfoy and how he was a great seeker. Considering that the team was still going through try-outs, Harry hoped that the captain would take him up on his offer. Of course, the captain was much more wiling to listen to him when he realized he was Harry Potter. Afterward, Harry headed back to the inn wondering if Malfoy would figure out it was him.

A couple days passed and Harry thought perhaps Malfoy just took the job not caring the reasons for it. As he was debating whether or not to make another appearance at Malfoy's condo, a knock came at his door. It was most likely the inn keeper wanting to clean his room. Harry opened the door and was suddenly shoved backward. Harry scrambled to get to his feet as Malfoy slammed his door shut.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing Potter?" Malfoy spat.

"What are you talking about? I thought you never wanted to see me again!"

"Then stop meddling in my life!" Malfoy hissed, approaching him. "I know it was you who put in that good word for me!"

"What proof do you have it was me?"

Malfoy narrowed his eyes. "Gee, Potter, you must've forgotten to bribe the damn captain to not go bragging about how the famous Harry Potter visited him and mentioned ME!"

"I don't see why you're complaining! I did you a favor! I got you that job figuring it was only fair since I did trespass—"

"If you want to help me Potter then stay out of my life! Stop doing things for me! I only did that because you went out of your way to pick a fight with me that day and just so happened to end up saving my life. That was it! And it could've been over, but no, Harry Potter has to stick his nosey face into people's business even more!"

"I was only paying you back!"

"WELL BLOODY STOP! I don't want to deal with you anymore Potter!" Malfoy shouted. "And now I have to pay you back or otherwise I'll never get rid of you!"

Harry felt his chest tighten and he narrowed his eyes. He hated how Malfoy acted this way every time, no matter what they discussed. Suddenly, an idea struck him and he stared intensely at him.

"Fine, Malfoy, one more favor from you and then you can be rid of me. I won't do you anymore favors or come searching for you or anything."

Malfoy kept his wand pointed at him and glared. "Oh right, Potter. I know this trick. You enjoy harassing me. I bet I'd have to cut off my dick before you're satisfied enough to leave me alone."

"That's not true at all! You're the one who enjoys harassing people!" Harry said, trying not to picture Malfoy's dick, which he had seen yet again up close and personal several days ago. "I was only doing what I thought was right, I never do things to you on purpose just to ruin your life."

"Really? Well, from where I'm standing it certainly doesn't seem that way!"

"Look," Harry said glaring at him with frustration, "if it bothers you so much then after this we'll be even, okay?"

"No tricks this time Potter!" Malfoy warned, glaring at him. "I want you out of my life for good."

"Fine, after this last favor.'

"What do you want?" Malfoy drawled. "Money?"

"No. I want you to go on a date with me."

The blond's lips parted in shock and his face flushed again. "ARE YOU BLOODY MAD? You are taking pleasure in ruining my life! And now you want everyone to think I'm your bloody boy toy. The daring Slytherin—Malfoy from such a wealthy and intimidating family now bending at the will of the famous Harry Potter, that's what you want! It's your ploy to humiliate me in public!"

"No it isn't; we don't have to go anywhere where people would recognize us. And you nearly agreed to it that time at school when I asked you."

"That was only to get you off my back! I'm not repeating things Potter! It was lucky enough no body discovered what happened between us otherwise both our lives would've been ruined! And considering no one's supposed to conduct sexual activities on school premises, we could've both been expelled!"

"Well we didn't get caught and now that we've graduated it doesn't matter."

Malfoy slammed his fist down upon the small desk next to the bed. "It bloody _does_ matter! I'm not going to be seen in public with you _anywhere_, especially not looking like we're some ruddy couple! If it hasn't occurred to you yet, Potter, let me emphasize once again that I'm _not_ gay! And the only reason I haven't killed you for disgusting me and harassing me all this time is because I blame that ruddy Scrimageour who insisted that we work together. But now Potter, since I see you're obviously attracted to blokes, I'm blaming _you_! You'll do anything to humiliate me. And while you might not care if people find out you're gay, I'll bet you'd love to see articles talking about the Malfoy heir being gay and hanging all over you, Potter—articles that will ruin my reputation for the rest of my life!"

Harry clenched his fists by his sides. "Are you done ranting? If it'll make you feel better I'll hide my scar, or glamour it so it doesn't show alright? And we can even go to some unknown restaurant or pub or something. It isn't about publicity despite what you think!"

"Then what's this about Potter?" Malfoy hissed angrily. "Why do you continually harass me?"

"Listen, it's just this one small favor okay. Do you want me to go in complete disguise?" Harry retorted.

"I would prefer that you just ask for money Potter," Malfoy drawled.

"Well this is what I want. If you refuse then I guess I'll have to keep doing things for you until you give me what I want," Harry said, hoping that Malfoy would just agree to it.

Breathing heavily, Malfoy glared and gripped his wand tightly. "Fine, Potter! This is the last thing I will ever do for you! And you better come in disguise."

"Fine, where do you want to meet?"

"The Dragon's Claw is a small, unknown place. And we'll sit in the _far_ back!" Malfoy snapped.

Harry sighed and fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Fine. How about we meet there tomorrow at six."

"Seven, Potter! And if you forget that disguise you can forget this favor!"

Malfoy stormed out of the inn and Harry felt slightly relieved. After closing his door, Harry angrily punched the bureau similar to what Malfoy had done. He couldn't ignore these feelings he had for Malfoy and it definitely seemed as though Malfoy would never even give him a chance. Although the blond kept claiming he wasn't gay, Harry had felt that there must've been something that attracted the blond to him those times they had sex. If this didn't work, Harry figured he should just give up. Even if somewhere deep inside the blond had been attracted to him, it was brief and Malfoy didn't seem open to trying it out.

Harry put his sorcerer studies on a temporary hold until after he dealt with Malfoy. He would just have to admit to the blond that he really, honestly liked him and then if that didn't change anything, well…there was nothing he could do.

Getting ready for meeting Malfoy, the next day, Harry chose tight dark jeans and a nice brown t-shirt with a thin dressy black cloak over it. It would be air-conditioned in the restaurant anyway. He got to The Dragon's Claw a little early and chose a table in the far back. He had made sure to glamour his hair to dark brown, changed the style a bit, and left his eyes green but hid his scar with a charm. Malfoy arrived five minutes late in black jeans and one of his silky shirts. Malfoy approached the back room and looked around and spotted him. His eyes narrowed and the blond came over.

"You call that a disguise?"

"I couldn't very well change my face structure or anything," Harry said annoyed. "I'm not a metamorphmagus and besides you wouldn't have been able to spot me if I had been completely changed. No one will recognize me, Malfoy. People usually don't recognize me anyway even with black hair except for when they see my scar, which is hidden now," Harry said, moving his bangs to show that the scar wasn't visible.

Malfoy decided finally it was good enough and sat down across from him. There was awkward silence between them as they read over the menu. Harry had already read it over and knew what he wanted, but now that he was there he didn't know how to start a conversation with the blond. The waiter thankfully came and took their orders. Once their Butterbeers were brought to them, and Harry had taken a rather large gulp, he stared directly at the blond.

"So, Malfoy, tell me about this book you gave me," Harry said quietly. They weren't around any tables that were really close, but still Harry chose to be quiet in respect to Malfoy's wishes.

Malfoy glanced up at him and raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think I'm going to tell you anything?"

Harry leaned on his elbow. "Are you saying you just want to sit here in silence the whole time?"

"This was your brilliant idea, Potter," Malfoy drawled, taking a sip of his butterbeer.

"So? Are you saying you won't talk about anything?"

The blond set his drink down and glared at him. "Potter, what about the fact that you forced me to be here aren't you getting?"

"What exactly is your problem Malfoy?" Harry whispered. "There aren't any reporters or people we know here and I'm not recognizable, so why are you still being like this?"

"Because I'm with _you_, obviously," Malfoy drawled.

Harry just shook his head and bit his tongue. He was getting really sick of Malfoy's attitude. Even when he tried to be honest and kind to Draco, the blond would still be rude.

_Draco…why did I just…? That sounds so strange. _

"What are you staring at, Potter?" Malfoy hissed quietly.

Harry blinked, realizing he had spaced out in Malfoy's direction. "Er, nothing, Draco."

The blond stared at him and Harry realized what he said. Trying to pretend like he hadn't called Malfoy by his first name, he decided to change the subject.

"Are you going to take that position on the Ireland Quidditch team?"

"That's none of your business," Malfoy said, eyeing him strangely. "And what about you, Potter? Sorcery? What are you going to do, fight imaginary battles and pretend you're Merlin?" the blond smirked.

Harry glared. "You know, some day there might be another war. And sorcery isn't just about confrontation, it's about learning all aspects of being a wizard."

The waiter came and gave them their dishes and Malfoy shoved his empty bottle in the waiter's hand. Once the waiter was gone, Malfoy began to eat and ignored him.

"What's the real reason that you asked me here, Potter?" Malfoy asked quietly after he had swallowed a bite.

Harry gazed up at him as Malfoy surveyed the room and then stared back at him. "What do you mean?"

"You're trying to get something out of me, aren't you?"

Harry stopped moving his fork and stared harshly at him. "No, I'm not."

Malfoy stared at him suspiciously and then they continued to eat. During the course of their meal, the waiter brought Malfoy another Butterbeer, and Harry as well later on, and the two of them remained in silence. About a half-hour later their plates were clean and when the bill came Malfoy tossed it over to him.

"Since this was your idea," Malfoy said, smirking.

The blond then got up and turned to walk out. Harry hurriedly left money on the table and followed him out.

"Malfoy!" Harry called to him once they were outside the restaurant.

"We had a deal," Malfoy said, wheeling around to face him. "This last favor and then we'd split, right? Unless you do have something up your sleeve."

"No, it's not that!" Harry exclaimed. "Listen, I don't have any ulterior motive."

Malfoy crossed his arms and furrowed his eyebrows. "Really? Then what, Potter? Why do you keep bothering me if it's not for publicity?"

"How can you be that…_blind_?" Harry retorted angrily.

Malfoy's jaw clenched. "Blind to what? Your plan?"

"I don't have a plan! Don't you get it? I saved your life back in school not because you did anything for me! I didn't owe you anything and yet I chose to save you!" Harry exclaimed vehemently. "And now I've saved your life several times! And I didn't ever call a reporter, did I? I didn't do anything to do except try to be your friend, Malfoy. That's the only thing I'm guilty of," Harry said as Malfoy stared at him intensely.

"Friend? I don't need you to be my friend, Potter," Malfoy said, narrowing his eyes. "I have plenty of friends and I certainly don't need _your_ fame to get a job."

"Fine, whatever," Harry said, gesturing with his arms. "You know, I don't even understand how you have friends considering you're impossible to be with!"

Harry started walking away and then he turned. "And you know something, Malfoy," he said as the blond stared at him uncaringly, "the only reason behind all of this, behind helping you and saving your life and _trying_ to get to know by talking, is that I honestly just…liked you," Harry managed to get out. "Despite your rude and stubborn attitude, I just wanted to know you better as a friend and as a person."

"You _liked_ me, Potter?" Malfoy asked, raising his eyebrows. Suddenly, the blond broke out in a wide grin. "I get it, Potter…you're attracted to me, is that right?"

"Well I _was_," Harry said. "And like I said, I was only trying to be nice to you. I never did anything to harm you and I never tried to ruin your life, okay"

Malfoy stared at him and though his smirk had faded it was still there. "Tell you what, Potter," he drawled, "if you want me to forgive you and shake hands as we part ways as if we were friends then I will as long as you write this down for me."

Harry's expression changed to confused. "What?"

"It's simple Potter. If you want me to treat you like we were friends, which you seem so desperate to get, then I will as long as you write down your confession that you liked me."

Harry opened his mouth in surprise. He couldn't believe this! He really couldn't take any more.

"Fine," Harry said reluctantly. He would just do it and then part ways, as Malfoy said, and they'd just go their own ways. It was obvious that Malfoy would never be serious or mature enough to have a real relationship anyway. "If that's all you want then fine. And then we'll never speak to one another again," Harry reiterated.

"Meet me at my place," Malfoy said.

The blond apparated and Harry took in a deep breath. He then apparated outside of Malfoy's condo and the blond opened the door. Harry reluctantly walked inside and followed Malfoy into the sitting room.

"Sit down, Potter. I'll get you the materials."

Malfoy seemed surprised by Harry's confession, but also it appeared he wanted to take full advantage of it. Harry thought perhaps the blond might care a little, but it turned out he was more like his father than Harry had thought. Silently, he sat down on the couch and Malfoy came over to him with what appeared to be charmed parchment and a quill.

"I think I might frame this," he said smirking. "Do this Potter and I might just forgive you for all the harassment and perhaps even shake your hand before you leave."

"What exactly do you want me to write?" Harry asked, feeling frustrated and embarrassed.

Malfoy thought for a second. "Write everything. How you're attracted to me and why. Add as much detail as you like. I'm going to change while you do that, Potter."

Then Malfoy turned around and walked back upstairs. Harry sighed and glanced down at the parchment. Dipping the quill in ink he decided that while Malfoy might be plotting to post it in some large newspaper, he figured writing out the whole truth might help him deal with it better so he could move on. Whatever Malfoy did with the confession, well…Harry wouldn't worry about it. He'd be studying sorcery alone somewhere so what did it matter?

_Harry Potter's confession: I've been asked to tell the truth concerning Draco Malfoy and the reasons behind the recent confrontations, so I will. Our families have been rivals for many years. It's true that Malfoy offered me his friendship first year, but I found him so arrogant and rude that I just couldn't accept it. I thought he was the exact image of his cruel and murderous father. But then this last year when former Minister Scrimageour made us work together, I realized something. Malfoy was rude, arrogant and stubborn like his father, but he didn't seem to be a murderer. So when Malfoy was convicted of murder and sentenced to death I just felt I had to help him. I thought I was doing it out of pity and perhaps pity was there, but it was…something else. I felt sympathy and understanding for Malfoy and realized that perhaps Malfoy put up a front and that maybe I judged him too quickly; maybe he wasn't like his father. _

_I did so much to save him. I don't think I've really ever risked my life this much for anyone, except for my Godfather Sirius. I miraculously solved the riddle of the legendary Ice Scale of the ice dragon that Merlin fought. I found it in the hands and protections of the vampire clan. I risked my life more than once to get that scale and then when I gave it to Malfoy he didn't seem very grateful. And I probably shouldn't have, but I tried to force him to make it up to me. Perhaps I should've just been more patient and waited, but I was angry and hurt. _

_And then we had more confrontations and by the time we went to the Wizard Hotel I noticed something had changed between us, at least from my point of view. Malfoy was so hurtful with words, but he really hadn't been physically hurtful to me. He didn't seem to be after me, like his parents. It seemed that he just wanted to ignore my existence, or try to. And the more I realized this, the more I began to treat him like a friend and respect him more for not succumbing to his parents' will. I'm sure his parents told him to torture me or kill me or find ways to humiliate me or make me vulnerable, but he never did any of that. And then I saved Malfoy's life again when we were kidnapped and then again when we were trapped with dragons and even again from poisonous beasts. I went out of my way to protect him because I felt that all this time he had been treated unfairly. I thought perhaps he might be still bitter because I turned down his friendship in front of everyone. Maybe if I had accepted his friendship we would've become quick friends, who knows?_

_I do admit that I have feelings for him. Or at least, I had…The feelings don't seem to be mutual. I don't think even friendship is possible, but it's true. I found out over the course of these last few months that I'm attracted to blokes. It's not something I ever expected of myself, but then again I never did have much time for friends, girlfriends or even boyfriends…I was always out fighting the fight and praying that I'd still come back alive, even if I didn't have that much to look forward to. Well, I felt that me and Draco Malfoy had some things in common; I felt that we were both treated poorly by our families, and that we were both forced to hate one another because it was expected due to the reputation of Slytherins and especially the Malfoy family. But I don't want to hate, and I don't want to fight. I'm so tired of fighting. I just wanted to be friends and forget the past grudges, but maybe that's just not possible. _

_So yes, I liked Draco Malfoy. I thought of him as a friend for a brief amount of time and even admittedly had stronger feelings for him. I won't describe in detail what occurred between us, but something that I would've never expected to happen. And yet, I don't regret it at all. I'm glad I learned about myself and that I had a chance to at least glimpse at the other side of the Malfoy heir; that I actually found him to not be that bad. But as Dumbledore taught me, everything happens for a reason and apparently being nice and forgetting past grudges, not to mention saving his life, wasn't enough for him. And now it's time to say goodbye. _

_I do hope that Malfoy appreciates what I've done for him, at least in some way or another. I probably won't ever see him again, but I just want to mention that I had no ill intentions toward him and that I really did like him. I honestly just wanted to be his friend and put the past behind us. I never meant to frustrate him or ruin his life. But I do tend to put people in danger and in an unwanted spotlight unintentionally by just being me. Fame has its price and it was never something I asked for. I do hope that Malfoy can forgive me and perhaps one day at least appreciate my honesty. _

_Harry Potter_

Harry set the parchment down and released the breath he had been holding. Malfoy was still upstairs, probably showering or just taking his time. It had only taken all of ten minutes to pour out his feelings on parchment. He hadn't realized how much he had been holding back. Thankfully, the handwriting was legible. Standing up, Harry left the parchment on the table and headed for the door. Harry couldn't help feeling as though he had completely set himself up for this humiliation. And although he might've made a fool of himself, at least he now knew he was attracted to blokes and that Malfoy could potentially be much better than his family.

Sighing, he opened the door and stepped outside. Once the door was closed he apparated away not intending to ever see Malfoy again.

XXXXXXXX

Several days later, Harry had packed up his belongings and had moved to New Zealand to begin his studies. Moving there reminded him of the Embervale Academy where he had Malfoy had become intimate, but he tried to force the memories out of his mind. Even then Malfoy had been rude and made him feel like he was only two inches tall. It seemed to him that Malfoy had a lot of pent up anger and bitterness, but he just couldn't get through to him no matter what he did. And he thought risking his life was about as much as he could do for the blond. So he tried to forget everything that had happened between them and focus on his studies.

He had heard that a new minister had been elected. A day after being there, he received an owl from the minister saying that after a month there he was to visit the minister and tell him of his plans. All that time, he used the book Malfoy gave him and other sources that he had found. He practiced his magic determinedly to try and forget anything that had to do with Malfoy. And finally it came time to see the minister so Harry decided to pack up his belongings and find a place in Europe to focus his studies there for a while.

The Ministry had changed somewhat. It seemed to have expanded and more aurors worked there now. The minister was in his office when Harry arrived and he was summoned immediately. Harry walked in to see a younger looking wizard than he expected. The man smiled at him and gestured to the seat in front of the desk.

"Please have a seat Mr. Potter."

Harry sat down and the minister smiled at him.

"I just wanted to discuss your goals for your studies. The Ministry has enlarged quite a bit due to the fact that more separate areas were needed for specific studies and more advanced training as well. We certainly want to be more prepared if another war should ever come about. So, we've also been discussing something new, which I actually brought up because of your interest in sorcery. I thought it might be wise to have a sorcery position in the ministry. Of course it would be a separate and much more advanced area of study, but the position as an expert sorcerer would be someone to help in the background, you know, sort of undercover," he said smiling.

"Mainly, you'd help out keeping allies for the ministry, as well as attending meetings around the world, with me, and help me when creating treaties with certain species or countries. Information will be needed to be passed around to aurors around the world and of course when the time comes for battle, if it comes, you will be paid for putting your life on the line and helping me out in times of crisis. You will be paid like any other job. It's a fair living for now, but in time it'll grow in wealth. People like you will be needed for survival and being prepared. There may even come a time when you need to spy on enemies or do…illegal things to gain information. If you're interested in aiding me and becoming an expert sorcerer, you can sign this job contract," he said, pulling out a parchment.

"Now, it's not perfect yet, but in a few years this job will pay plenty and hopefully be just what you had in mind. Are you interested?"

Harry nodded. "Yes sir."

"Very good! I will keep you posted on the details of this position, but just sign your name and you can continue your studies for however long you want. You can start this position in about a year, but until then I will advance you some money each month for your studies and as the ministry gets put back together, hopefully better than ever, you can then take on the permanent job."

Harry nodded and signed his name. The minister smiled at him. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Harry. You can call me Tom if you like."

The name reminded him of Voldemort so Harry instantly tensed, but gave him a small smile. The minister just smiled again.

"Will you be sticking around?"

"Yeah, I think so. At least for a while until I figure out where I'm going from here. Er, I wrote down my goals of magic to learn in the next year and what I've learned so far," Harry said, pulling out a sheet that he had scribbled on.

The minister examined it and nodded. "This is good, Harry, but be sure to include all areas of studies. Otherwise, I think this is a good start. Hopefully I'll be seeing you soon."

Nodding, Harry thanked him and then left the ministry. He bought a temporary place in York, England just to try it out and see if he liked the area. It was a distance from London, but not too far and it was relatively close to Scotland as well. That way he'd be in a newer part of England to start anew. Ron had owled him recently about celebrating his new position on a London Quidditch team. It was by no means superb, but it still had a fair income. He told him that Hermione was really busy but that she'd contact them when she was certain she had a weekend free. Ginny it appeared was still at home searching for her perfect journalism job. That was all Ron had said. Harry had owled them telling them about his new place and his studies, but definitely steered clear of mentioning anything about Malfoy.

A couple days later, Harry got another message from the minister to come see him. He went into his office.

"Good day, Harry," the minister smiled.

"Er, hi," Harry said, sitting down.

"I just thought you should know your friend came in the other day looking for you."

Harry's heart skipped a beat and he tried to look perplexed. "Er, my friend?"

"Yes, a…," the minister paused to think "a young blond gentleman who looked vaguely familiar to me. I was told by one of the aurors here that he had asked to see records of where people are staying and that he needed to know about a friend. And it seemed that he was looking for you because he had looked up your name, but of course your location wasn't written yet. I just thought you should know since it seemed as though maybe he had tried to owl you and couldn't reach you."

Harry nodded. "Er, thanks. I'll contact him."

The minister smiled and nodded. "How are your studies coming?"

"Good. Er, tiring sometimes, but it interests me a lot."

"Very good to hear," he said. "Sorry to take up your time."

Harry smiled and thanked him and then left the ministry feeling a bit dazed. Malfoy, it seemed, had been looking for him. But why?

For the next few days he waited to see if perhaps Malfoy would go back to the ministry, find out his temporary address, and come find him. But when no word came, Harry became impatient and decided that he'd visit Malfoy's place. He flew his broom there and by the time he arrived it was evening. However, when Harry landed in front of the house he noticed that no lights were on. He nervously went up to knock on the door but no answer came.

Harry looked around and then made his way to the back of the house. He approached the same window he had before and murmured the same spell. The glass shattered as it had before, which meant that Malfoy either hadn't figured out how Harry had gotten in, or he hadn't gotten around to updating his charms. Harry slipped inside and fixed the window. It was dark and quiet and Harry was certain Malfoy wasn't home. But he wanted to check to make sure.

He went upstairs and headed for the bedroom door. Swallowing thickly, he turned the knob and opened it. The room was dark so Harry used his wand for light. It appeared deserted; Malfoy wasn't home. Harry felt disappointed and thought perhaps he'd leave a note or something. He approached Malfoy's bureau, by the bed, wondering if he should search for parchment. After all, Malfoy wouldn't be pleased that Harry had broken in again. Opening the drawer, Harry peered inside and was shocked to find the confession he had written lying there neatly. Harry had momentarily forgotten he had written a confession and yet he hadn't heard any news about it being published in the news. He was certain Ron or Hermione would've told him, especially considering that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley kept up on the news daily.

Harry dug around beneath the parchment and found a blank one. He then found a quill and scribbled a note to Malfoy:

_Draco, please meet me at my new place in York, England. _

He wrote his address and then signed his name. Once that was done he closed the drawer and set the note on top of the bureau. Then he slipped out of the room, closed the door, and then crept out of the house the same way he had come in. He flew back to his place deep in thought trying to figure out why Malfoy had asked about him when the blond had clearly stated he never wanted to see him again. He hoped that Malfoy wouldn't be too angry with him for sneaking in again to not come. Harry thought about it until he was in bed and tried to put the questions out of his mind. He'd just have to wait and see if Malfoy really wanted to see him. It could've been that Malfoy just wanted his address to send him a note telling Harry that he had posted his confession somewhere. But Harry was hoping that wasn't the case. When he finally fell asleep, he still had Malfoy on his mind.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_


	21. Danger and Attraction

_**Pure Rhapsody**_

_**Pre-Warning: Sexual content next chapter**_

**Chapter 20:**** Danger and Attraction**

He was restless and couldn't sit still. In fact, he hadn't even slept much the previous night. He had thought about what had happened between him and Draco and he couldn't believe he actually wrote something like that, admitting his feelings to him. When they had first seen each other, there had been the rivalry and contempt for one another that Harry was used it. It had felt normal, but then that time in the bathroom, when he was exposed, naked, to the blond, he realized that he hadn't been so embarrassed about Malfoy teasing him, but rather if the blond would find his body attractive or not.

It hadn't been the first conscious thought but now that he thought back it was almost sensual that they were in a large private bath together. That was part of the reason that he couldn't sleep the night before; he thought about all their intimate moments and how they had just tried to blame it on something else, as if they tried to misplace their conscious minds as it was happening so that they wouldn't have to face it. They were just so used to fighting. And in fact, if Harry thought back to Hogwarts he remembered that the blond was very attractive, but he hadn't been thinking that up front because of all the other factors that had been distracting him: a new school, rivalries, Quidditch, mainly Voldemort. Everything had interfered so he hadn't been aware of romance at all, let alone with his attraction to Malfoy.

But now it was so different. Harry felt different and he felt awkward; he realized his feelings and now that he was aware they had been intimate there was no turning back. It was hard because they had both been so distracted by so many other problems that when faced together with the opportunity to realize their attraction, or at least Harry's attraction to Draco (whether the blond was really attracted to him or not still remained a mystery), they tried to put on their usual façade that they had been used to at Hogwarts.

Everything that could've been so enjoyable had been awkward because they didn't know how to act around one another. And no way would he have ever guessed he was attracted to Draco. At the wizard hotel Harry had wanted desperately to just laugh and have fun with Draco; it had been the perfect time to bond and when they had gone out to dinner with one another he really that was the step that would move them beyond rivalry.

Also, Harry couldn't stop thinking about being under water with Malfoy, feeling the sexual attraction as well as the emotional as they examined the miniature dragons. It felt so surreal and yet Harry wanted it; he wanted it to happen every day. He wanted to forget everything that had happened at Hogwarts and in the past because he just didn't want that awkward feeling or past grudges to get in the way anymore.

His wish was to be able to act on his feelings with Draco without thinking about how inappropriate it was because they had been rivals; he wanted to hang out and talk with Draco like he did with Ron and Hermione, but he also wanted to be able to be intimate with him without trying to hide it, or without making excuses or feeling awkward. One part of a dream during his restless sleep had been back in the private Ministry bath, but instead of being rival-like or hot-headed with one another they had been almost coy and friendly. Harry had talked quietly about the war and Voldemort and his future plans and Draco had listened so intently. And then they had gotten closer and Harry could feel his anxiety but also his excitement.

A loud persistent knock startled him so much that he nearly crashed into the bureau. Harry's breathing became more erratic but he didn't want to wait too long for fear that if it was Malfoy he'd run away. So Harry ran at the door and opened it more hastily than he had planned.

"Yeah?" he asked hurriedly before he even saw that it was Tristan. "Tristan?"

"Hi, Harry," he said smiling.

"Oh, er, hi," Harry said, opening the door so he could come inside. "How are you?"

"Good," he answered. "I was hoping that perhaps you and I could spend so quality time together."

Harry smiled reluctantly and nodded. "Oh, er, when were you thinking of?"

"Well, now that you've graduated I was thinking we should celebrate. Actually, I wanted to invite you over to my place since it's pretty spacious. How about tonight?"

Feeling his stomach churn anxiously Harry wondered if Tristan was asking him out or just being friendly. It seemed like a suspicious step to invite him over to his place.

"I'd love to, but er probably not tonight. I'm expecting someone…er, a friend," he said.

Tristan looked disappointed but he just smiled. "Alright. I mean, it's my fault for springing this up on you last minute. So, how about tomorrow night?"

"Uh, yeah sure. I don't have any plans," Harry said feeling a bit awkward. He liked Tristan, but not in a romantic way. If Harry went over to his place privately and Tristan hit on him it'd be hard to not have to be blunt, but then again having privacy would prevent making a scene in public. So perhaps it was a good idea.

"Great," he said smiling. "I'm looking forward to it. Do you know where I live?"

"Sort of," Harry said shrugging.

"Here, I'll write it down for you and then we can plan on you coming over at around eight."

Harry nodded thinking that was a bit later for dinner and wondered if the boy had some romantic plans. Nervously he summoned a quill and parchment. Tristan began scribbling the directions and another knock came. Harry jolted and Tristan glanced up at him.

"That's your friend I suppose?"

"Er…maybe," Harry said awkwardly.

He went to the door and exhaled deeply as he approached it. Then he opened it and was stunned to see that Draco was standing there. The blond had been looking sideways and jerked his head toward him when he heard the door open.

"Potter, I…," Draco began and then spotted Tristan.

Tristan stared at Draco and then set the parchment down and walked over to the door.

"Ah, Draco is it?"

"Yeah," Malfoy said coolly eyeing the other boy.

"Thanks for stopping by Tristan," Harry said hurriedly, not wanting Draco to get the wrong impression.

Tristan glanced at him and then back at Draco. "Right. See you tomorrow then Harry."

Harry nodded quickly and Tristan gave Draco a nod as he walked out. Draco shut the door behind him and waited a moment before crossing his arms and staring heatedly at him.

"I see you got my note," Harry said.

"Apparently I interrupted something," Malfoy drawled.

Harry stared at him firmly and rolled his eyes. "For the last time, Tristan and I aren't dating, Malfoy. He stopped by unexpectedly."

"Oh right and you two were just," Malfoy paused dramatically, " 'hanging out'?"

"Yes, actually. He was only here for like two minutes," Harry said truthfully.

Draco walked over to where Tristan had put the note on the bureau. "Interesting…his address. Seems to me like you're lying Potter; you two fancy each other obviously," he drawled and Harry couldn't place the tone in his voice.

"We do not!" Harry exclaimed vehemently. "Or at least I don't. I'm not sure if Tristan's gay or not but we're not dating and I certainly wouldn't date him even if he asked me!"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Like I care, Potter. I'm only here because I want to make it clear that we don't speak ever again. Apparently, this isn't sinking into your brain well enough and I want you to know that if you try to contact me again I'll make sure I move to a place where my living arrangements are concealed only to those I authorize, which of course I'd leave no names, and even your fame won't get you near me. Do you understand?"

Harry stared at him for a long moment in which both of them locked eyes heatedly and Harry felt something…the blond was obviously trying hard to keep his mind blocked from Harry's Legimen abilities.

"I wrote that confession and it was nothing but the truth, _Draco_," Harry emphasized, staring at him firmly. "And I wrote you that note because I was told that you tried to find me again, for whatever reason, whether it's to threaten me or not. What I don't understand is why you're so hostile to me when I've proven to you and told you a million times over, though it doesn't seem to be sinking into your head," he retorted as Malfoy's eyebrows furrowed, "that I only wanted to be your friend and that I…"

Harry swallowed not sure how to say it but he knew that this was his last chance and Draco was much too stubborn to need anything but the truth. "I told you I had feelings for you, that I was attracted to you, and that was all the truth. I made a very hard attempt at getting to know you without the grudges and rivalries from our past; I attempted to be friends with you like at the hotel and once again, and I can't repeat or emphasize this enough, I've _saved_ _your_ _life_ now three times over!

"Don't say anything till I'm finished!" Harry exclaimed, noticing the blond open his mouth. "Because if this is the last time we speak you're going to hear this! I wanted to be your friend…And I was kind to you. I found a legendary treasure that I could've kept for myself, that is worth more than you could ever imagine and I gave it to you to save your life. And then I continued to save your life without asking for you to pay me back. And you did anyway, which was your choice because you didn't want to own up to the fact that I did something nice, that I was actually, sincerely being friendly to you," he said raising his voice.

"And now after everything, after all the attempts I made at being nice, saving your life and trying to get along, not to mention admitting to you that I had no ill intentions and never contacted reporters or anything, not even my friends, and you repay me with a _threat_?"

"Relax Potter!" Malfoy drawled. "I'm telling you—"

"SHUT-UP!" Harry bellowed. "I can't believe you! I mean, why the hell did you save my confession and not publish it? And why did you try to help me with the book? Are you so ashamed of doing something nice that you resort to anger, lies and threats? Because if so, that's pretty pathetic and I don't just mean for a Slytherin," Harry said as Draco's eyes narrowed. "I mean as a human being."

Surprisingly, Malfoy glared at him but didn't respond immediately. "And what do you expect me to do Potter?"

"Why can't you give me a chance? I tried giving you a chance! I saved your bloody life over and over again! Not to mention I tried to be friends with you! So why can't you do something simple like—"

"Like what, Potter, _hanging out_ together?" Malfoy spat as he uncrossed his arms. "You're bloody famous and everyone's always trying to take your picture or get a story on you and you think that I could 'hang out' with you without the news reporting that?"

"Look, I avoid the papers! I haven't been in one in a long time! My house is shielded by magic so they can't just come here whenever they'd like. They don't even know where I live!" Harry exclaimed. "Are you saying that you can't even give me a chance to be a friend, not even a friend-friend, but an acquaintance even, without me being able to guarantee that you won't be in the papers?"

Malfoy was looking annoyed. "Why the hell do you want to be my friend so badly, Potter?"

"Because I don't want any grudges! I want to get past this with you!"

"Fine, we're past it," Malfoy shrugged. "Is that all you want?"

Harry shook his head staring at him angrily. Malfoy stepped forward and crossed his arms again.

"What do you think you'll get from being my _friend_ Potter? Because if you're even thinking that you want to 'hang out' to explore more sexual activites—"

"Quit making me sound like a whore," Harry interrupted angrily. "I told you already that it wasn't just something sexual. If it was, well…then I could've found someone else to sleep with."

"So what then? Are you saying you just want to hang out like you and the Weasel do? Or what, Potter? I don't get why you'd want to! We don't get along, if you hadn't noticed!"

"That's only because of you!" Harry retorted. "You won't give me a chance and whenever I'm with you, even if I'm being really nice, you're just rude and dismissive. And what's wrong with being friends?"

"Because people usually don't demand friendship!" Malfoy exclaimed.

"Malfoy, did you actually read my confession?" Harry asked annoyed. "I admitted that I had feelings, or felt something…I'm not sure what, but it wasn't purely sexual."

Malfoy stared at him and then shook his head. "Potter, if you're even thinking of…Friendship is bad enough! That wouldn't work out at all! We'd be doing the same things that we're doing now only on a regular basis! But if you're attempting to use friendship as a means of trying to get me to _date_ you, then you're just bloody mad!"

"So you did read my confession then," Harry retorted sarcastically. "You know, we've already been on a date and it wasn't reported in the news now was it? And you even agreed to do that!"

"You practically dragged me there!" Malfoy exclaimed. "You told me it would be the last favor!"

"This isn't a favor, Malfoy! This is what people do when they actually have a heart and they have emotions!" Harry shouted. "They tell people how they feel, they act nice to them, they try to get to know them better…that's friendship and practically every other communication that humans have! I'm not asking this as a favor. This isn't some charity or debt thing! It's just a…it's me telling you that what I said in the confession was the truth and I wanted to know if you were able to just forget the past, including the chaotic events that happened at Embervale," Harry added as the blond's eyebrows furrowed, "and just start over preferably as friends."

"I'm willing to forget Embervale, Potter, but you're not letting me!"

"I said forget Embervale and manipulating one another I never said forget _each other_!"

Malfoy's lips pursed. "Look, Potter. I'll say this once more. I get your confession, I get that you felt something for me, but let me enlighten you. Just because two people have sex doesn't mean that it means something emotionally, alright? And clearly I'm more experienced with sex, you even admitted it," he said as Harry clenched his jaw. "What happened between us wasn't expected, that means if we had been thinking more clearly it wouldn't have happened. And I get that you saved my life, alright Potter? Why the hell do you think I was trying to do those debts in the first place? But we _cannot_ date! And clearly you want that."

"But you're not gay, is that your excuse?" Harry asked quietly, staring at him firmly.

"It's not just that, Potter," Malfoy said gesturing with his hands. "We've never gotten along. It's not something that's just going to come naturally. It's impossible to just forget everything that's happened unless you erase your memories. We just can't date, Potter! It's absurd!"

"Why exactly? If we avoid papers and such why is it impossible? Why is it so hard for you to comprehend? Just enlighten me!"

"Okay, Potter, here I'll enlighten you," Malfoy said stepping forward again. "Let's say Christmas comes and your friends invite you over. Do you think they'll want me there? And do you really think you can avoid everyone you or I know and not think that _someone_ will find out, if we _were_ to date?"

"Okay, so they might find out. So what? I admit, Ron and Hermione would not take it well. I get that. Your friends hate me, I get that too. But you can't just live your life based on what others want or expect of you," Harry said. "Didn't you already do that with you parents and you said that you didn't care that they died?"

The words rang out and Harry realized what he had given away. Malfoy's jaw clenched and his hand went into a fist by his side.

"You obviously read more into my mind then you let on. My parents are none of your business Potter!"

"Okay, I know, I get it. They're not," Harry said quickly. "But why does it have to matter if anyone finds out? Why do you care what they think?"

"Obviously, if I want to have friends, Potter and not be a desperate loser who's alone and friendless the rest of my life," Malfoy drawled.

"Then they're not friends," Harry emphasized, staring at him deeply. "Look, my friends might hate the idea, but they'd never abandon me over it. They trust my judgment and sure…maybe they'd make sure that I'm not under a spell or anything, but after that they'd grow to accept it. If your friends are just going to leave you if you do one small thing that they don't approve of, well…they're not friends and they're not worth the trouble."

"Easy for you to say. You Gryffindors are too lenient and accepting. And I doubt the Weasel would ever accept us going out," Malfoy retorted.

Harry sighed heavily. "So…are you just saying you don't want to go out because of your friends and the fact that you're a Slytherin, I'm a Gryffindor, your parents hated me and tried to kill me, and we're supposed to be arch-nemises because your family supported Voldemort, who also wanted to kill me…," Harry said taking a breath, "or is it because you're not gay and not attracted to me? Which is it because I'm confused. Are you at all attracted to blokes or at least open to being with them?"

Malfoy released a breath. "Potter, look…I admit that I had times where I thought about possibly doing something with a bloke, alright? Sex can be addicting! But that doesn't mean that I'd actually want to date or have a relationship with a bloke!"

"So then it's because you're not attracted to me," Harry said, trying to read him.

"Potter, no…I don't want to date you," Malfoy emphasized quietly.

"That doesn't answer my question though."

"What does it matter! Even if I was gay I wouldn't want to date you!" Malfoy exclaimed. "So my sexuality doesn't really matter, Potter! The fact is we cannot date! Do you understand?"

Harry breathed in heavily, realizing that Malfoy was just too stubborn. And he was also afraid. Of what, Harry couldn't be entirely certain.

"Are you going to publish my confession?"

Malfoy snorted softly. "Only if you provoke me, Potter. Personally, I don't want the news getting facts that we were ever in the same room together so I'd prefer not to publish it."

"I'm not going to harass you, if that's what you're worried about," Harry said feeling the disappointment churn in his stomach. "I'm not going to go to your house every day banging on your day and demanding you date me. If you're not interested that's fine. But I just didn't want it to be only because your friends, and family, would consider it a betrayal to Voldemort."

"The Dark Lord has nothing to do with it Potter!"

"Okay…so as long as it's not because of someone, or something, else then I get it. Alright? I would never try to force someone to be with me, that's not what I'm after."

Malfoy's shoulders still seemed tense, but he shrugged. "Fine, Potter. Now that we've got that cleared up."

Harry nodded knowing that Malfoy was just going to leave.

"Why don't you date Tristan then?" the blond asked.

"I don't like him like that," Harry answered truthfully.

Malfoy's eyebrow raised and he smirked slightly. "So why do you like me?"

"I…," Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "I don't know. It can't be for your personality, that absolutely sucks."

Malfoy's smirk faded.

"And…well…unless it's because of Voldemort's influence, you know being since part of his soul was inside me and…well, no because it's not inside me anymore. I don't know," Harry shrugged.

"Potter, if you were trying to say that the Dark Lord was attracted to me, that's not funny," Malfoy warned, giving him a dark, uneasy look.

"No, no…at least I don't think Voldemort was gay," Harry said shrugging. "I just meant that it could've been Parseltongue or Voldemort's dark influence that made me attracted to a Slytherin. And your family is pretty dark, you have a dark history and your parents did try to kill me, so…Look, I don't know, okay?"

"I'm sure I know," Malfoy drawled smugly. "I'll bet it was for my looks."

Harry's eyebrows rose. "Your looks?"

"Of course, Potter. If it wasn't because we got along, and our families were dead-set against one another, then obviously the only reason is physical attraction. Not that I blame you of course," he drawled.

Harry rolled his eyes and stared up at the ceiling briefly. "Gee, now I wish Voldemort had killed me," he said sarcastically. "Look, I hate to break this to you, but you weren't the only attractive bloke there."

"And yet you chose me," Malfoy said smirking with a raised eyebrow. "I wonder why."

"Well…you weren't that hard to get into bed," Harry said.

Malfoy's expression darkened and he approached within inches of Harry's face. "Watch it, Potter."

"I just meant that…like you said about me, you were conveniently there, perhaps," Harry added, staring at him evenly.

"Right, well you certainly wouldn't have wanted to have sex with me if you weren't attracted to me at all," Malfoy said, narrowing his eyes. "And you did mention it in your confession, that there was an attraction."

"Yes, but I just meant…you know, obviously something had to be there…what do you want me to say? That I couldn't resist you?" Harry asked, looking annoyed.

Malfoy smirked. "That's a start, Potter."

"Oh Merlin, you're so full of yourself," Harry said shaking his head. "I can't believe you feel no shame in thinking that."

The blond shrugged carelessly. "Confidence is a key ingredient to victory, Potter."

"We're not in a war, Malfoy," Harry said, crossing his arms. "Okay, even if I were just physically attracted to you, by your appearance, that's still an attraction. And you wouldn't have slept with me either if there wasn't something."

"There was something, I was temporarily insane," Malfoy drawled.

Harry cocked his head and gave him a look. "Listen, you can think that you're the finest thing on this planet, that's fine. But are you saying that I'm not at all attractive? Because many girls have told me that I am, as well as you."

"Well, you're not as hideous as Weasley," Malfoy drawled. "And certainly not as bad as you were when we first met. I can stand to look at you Potter. But like I said, I'm not attracted to blokes. And since you are, it would make you more susceptible to blokes, not me."

"Alright, whatever," Harry said. "You can go now. Can I keep the book?"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Not forever. I was going to take it back eventually but you can borrow it since it was part of my debt to you."

"How will I know when to give it back if you forget I exist?" Harry asked, half-jokingly.

"If you're suggesting we keep in touch that won't be necessary. I'll just track you down when I think it's been enough time," Malfoy said, eyeing him.

Harry shrugged. "Okay. But make sure to owl me and let me know you're stopping by. I don't like surprises."

"No, I wouldn't want to give you a heart attack," Malfoy drawled.

Harry just rolled his eyes.

The blond then turned around and Harry walked forward hesitantly. A part of him really didn't want to say goodbye, but he didn't want to seem desperate. Malfoy would only tease him more and make the separation more humiliating for him. Besides, if Malfoy wasn't attracted to him at all then Harry should just move on. Perhaps he just needed to know for sure that Malfoy truly wasn't attracted to him in any way.

Harry wasn't sure what to say as Malfoy opened the door.

"Don't fool around too much with Tristan, Potter," Malfoy drawled teasingly.

"I'm only going over there tomorrow as a friend, Malfoy. Nothing more," Harry said crossing his arms firmly.

Malfoy eyed him and raised an eyebrow. "Whatever. Just use protection."

"Shut-up, Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed, giving him a disgusted look. "Why don't you go shag some Veela and get over yourself."

"I don't need Veelas, Potter," Malfoy drawled.

"Are you through yet?" Harry asked, glaring.

Malfoy smirked and then turned around and walked out the door. Harry approached the door and watched him step outside. The blond wheeled back around and gave him a look.

"Remember, Potter. Even though we're ignoring one another's existence doesn't mean you can go babble to your friends about what occurred between us."

It was Harry's turn to smirk and Malfoy's smile vanished. "I can do whatever I like, Malfoy. You have my confession so I need something over you. And that's it. If I want to tell them, I'll tell them."

"They won't believe you," Malfoy said, snorting. "And at least I won't be anywhere near the Weasel."

"Fine. Goodbye then," Harry said, feeling his muscles tense.

Malfoy stared at him for a long minute and Harry kept the gaze firmly. Finally, the blond snorted in his Slytherin-like manner and disapparated from the spot. Harry closed the door and inwardly smiled. Even though Malfoy was gone it seemed that the blond had hesitated before leaving. Perhaps Malfoy had considered briefly about being friends, or maybe something more. Harry wasn't sure. In fact, he didn't even know if Malfoy really was gay, or if he was just extremely sexual. But now it didn't matter. The only other time he'd probably see Malfoy was sometime in later years when the blond returned for the book.

Sighing, Harry slumped down on his bed trying not to remember those intimate moments he had with Malfoy or how good it felt. Even fighting with the blond kept him alive and now he wasn't sure what to do. He had been so used to having Malfoy in his life. Although he didn't want to admit it, he was going to miss the arrogant blond. He wondered if Malfoy would miss him at all.

**XXXXXX**

The next evening came by rather quickly and Harry still hadn't stopped thinking about Malfoy, even though he knew he had to move on. He followed Tristan's directions, wondering if perhaps he should consider going out with Tristan, but then shook it off. He just wasn't attracted to the other boy.

Harry arrived at Tristan's place a little early, realizing that Tristan lived in a cabin nearby a large lake. There were houses in the distance, but quite a bit of land surrounded the cabin and he knocked uncertainly. The door opened almost instantly and Tristan smiled down at him.

"Welcome, Harry."

He moved aside and Harry smiled reluctantly as he stepped into the cabin. The place was furnished nicely, although a few things appeared really dusty. Otherwise, everything seemed organized. There were only two floors and the downstairs was a small living room with a couch, a couple chairs and a table. There was a small kitchen connecting it and upstairs were most likely the bedrooms. It was small, but not cramped.

"So you live in a cabin?" Harry asked as he took off his cloak.

"Yes. I like the silence," Tristan answered as he approached him.

"Oh," Harry said, turning to face him. "So, how are you?"

Tristan's smile widened. "Much better now. I was afraid you'd never come."

Harry stared at him and thought it sounded suspiciously like Tristan might like him more than a friend.

"I…er…," Harry trailed off not knowing how to word his apology.

"To think that I have you here Potter finally alone."

There was something in the tone of his voice. Harry knew it too well by now. As Harry's eyes widened, he tried to apparate but Tristan just laughed.

"I made sure you couldn't escape this time."

Harry backed away, reaching toward his dark jeans for his wand. "You…You killed those wizards!"

Tristan stared at him with an eerie look. "I'm only here for one person, Potter and that's you."

"But you killed those wizards and framed…," Harry trailed off. "If you didn't kill those wizards, were you working with Amos Diggory?"

"I only work for myself," Tristan responded coldly. "And yes, I killed them…Diggory just took advantage of that. He found them afterward and I thought about killing him, but seeing as though he didn't care that there were dead bodies in front of him, only caring about his own agenda, well…I didn't feel it was necessary to waste any extra energy. It was clever of you to block your scar, Potter. Even I couldn't figure out how you did that."

Harry felt his whole chest tighten and he shook his head. "No…you're not…that's not possible!"

Tristan's lips curled into a wide smile. "No, Potter, I'm not Lord Voldemort; if only I were. He's brilliant, isn't he? And so powerful…yes, he's the perfect master. He had captured me to try to get information out of me on the whereabouts of the legendary Scale some time ago, just because I knew some famous, powerful wizards. He kept me alive and trapped and should anything happen to him I was given instructions to kill Harry Potter and anyone else I could bring down. My first priority is to get my master back, but you…you are troublesome. And Voldemort warned me about you, that you get in the way of everything! I may just have to get rid of you first.

"My master is gone and when I woke up all I had was his message engraved in my head—to bring him back and to destroy you! So I went out searching for you and found you…it was so easy! You were finally out of Hogwarts! I thought I'd have to wait for you to graduate! And then I made up that story about being with the paper…well, I won't bore you with details," he sneered.

"How did you track me?" Harry asked nervously, backing away as he hurried to think of a plan.

"I was tracking you through your scar, which I was taught by my master. He engraved the directions into my mind on how to tap into your scar with a simple potion that I drink. Well…I suppose the potion wasn't simple. It's a synthesis of the bonding potion and he used his blood and several very rare ingredients. It took him a long time to make it, but he wanted to ensure that if by some rare chance you or Dumbledore destroyed his body he'd still have me to rescue him and finish you off! I tried to find him, but couldn't! So now my priority is killing you. But you can last longer if you tell me where my master is!"

"He's too far for you to reach," Harry said angrily. "He's in a parallel dimension without enough power…or at least he doesn't have the ability to come back. It was a one-way portal, or door, that I sent him through."

"Tell me where it is!"

"Like hell!" Harry exclaimed. "As long as he remains trapped there he'll never be a threat to anyone, even if he doesn't die! And I'd never be stupid enough to tell you even if you did kill me! I'll never let him come back!"

"Well…once I defeat you I'll pick out your brain until I find the answer on how to get him back and then I'll kill you slowly!" Tristan seethed as his eyes narrowed. "And even if I can't get his body back…I still know where all his Horcruxes are! As long as I have at least one I can always bring back his spirit the old fashioned way. And with that advanced potion he told me about, yes…I could even bring back his body eventually. Of course it's not good without his spirit so I'd have to get that first, but don't worry that shouldn't be much of a problem."

"You mean the Potion Pettigrew used—the one where he cut off his own hand?" Harry countered as he kept the distance between them.

Tristan was closer to the door and Harry was closer to the stairs. Even if he went upstairs there was no telling how he'd escape the cabin.

"I'm much more reliable than that worthless man! Voldemort practically made me…he's my master and my creator. He erased most of my memories, except for the ones he deemed useful, and put information that he needed me to know in my mind and how to accomplish what he wanted. I've become his perfect, most loyal servant, synthetically created, so-to-speak. I used to be a mere human with no purpose and now he's made me into a wise, powerful wizard. And once I bring him back I will be his right-hand man, his most loyal servant and I'll never be replaced; I'll always be by his side and he'll never torture or kill me, not for what I've done."

"You haven't done anything yet," Harry said. "Even if you do use his Horcruxes, it would take forever to find one and make the potion necessary to get his spirit out of it, to give him consciousness again! He'll only be back in his vapory form—that much I know! After his curse rebounded on him when he tried to kill me as a baby he became nothing more than a weak spirit and that's all he'd be even if you did find a Horcrux! Not to mention, it'd take a very long time for you to make that regeneration potion again to get his body back, especially without my blood."

"Trust me, Potter. I'll have plenty of that soon," Tristan retorted in a blood-thirsty tone. "There's no way out of here so sooner or later I'll get you."

Harry kept moving backward and he saw Tristan reach for his wand. Harry jolted up the stairs as a hex flew past him. He had to find a way out! Tristan wouldn't trap himself in the cabin without having a way out, so there was a way…it was just hidden.

Harry went into a room, hoping to find a window. Unfortunately when he turned around he found Tristan standing in the doorway grinning at him. Harry ducked and rolled from the first spell and shot hexes toward Tristan. The other boy did seem to move a lot like Voldemort and he seemed to know what he was doing. Voldemort definitely was trying to make sure he didn't lose.

Harry cried out in pain as a curse shot right into his side cutting him with a deep wound. He clutched at his side and put up a shield, trying to protect himself.

"That shield won't hold for long, especially not with you injured," Tristan sneered as he approached within a foot. "Soon I'll have you, Potter…I'll have to make sure to keep plenty of your blood in case I don't get my master's potion right on the first try. But he trained me well…and I will get him back. He will not be defeated by a worthless, pathetic child!"

Harry's arm was shaking as he tried to keep the shield up. Tristan shot spells and hexes at it to try and weaken it some more. He knew it wouldn't hold. And blood was trickling down his side, slowly soaking his shirt and jeans.

"And I've put silencing charms around the cabin so you can scream as loud as you wish. In fact, I prefer you scream. No one's going to save you, Potter. This time, my Lord's plan was too brilliant…and you've run out of allies. Without Dumbledore or anyone to help you, I can make sure you don't escape. You realize you're only alive out of luck and because of others who've protected you, but now you're all alone."

Harry breathed in deeply, wincing from the pain as he clutched at the wound. Blood was trickling through his fingers and his shield was flickering. Tristan shot a curse and the shield shattered, throwing Harry backward. A vase shattered when he hit the table and a piece of glass scraped across his cheek. He had a couple scrapes on his arms as well but Tristan just came close with his wand pointed at him.

"You're helpless, aren't you Potter?"

Without warning, Harry shot a spell at him just by thinking it. Tristan was too stunned to move out of the way and he was thrown backward into the wall. Harry got up and limped out of the room, trying to get back downstairs. He practically threw himself down the stairs and stumbled to his feet. He reached the door but it wouldn't budge. The hairs on his neck prickled and he ducked to miss the curse that came pelting toward him. Tristan wiped the blood from his mouth, sneering at him and came toward him once again.

"I told you, you can't escape! And with that injury you're not likely to run very fast," he said smirking. "So you're not completely helpless. My master told me not to underestimate you. But still…you're nothing compared to him."

"Says you," Harry breathed, wincing at the pain.

"There's solid proof, Potter. He's a much greater wizard than you'll ever be, even if you did live longer. But unfortunately for you, your time is up," Tristan sneered, pointing his wand at his face.

Harry blocked the next attack, but the force threw him off his feet. He was in too much pain to move fast enough and Tristan approached quickly.

"Don't move or I'll cause you much more severe pain, Potter. I just need to fill up a couple jars of blood and then you can die," he said, staring at him hungrily.

He summoned three jars and Harry stared at him wordlessly. Obviously Harry wouldn't be able to shoot a curse fast enough without Tristan being able to block it. It was truly over now. He was going to die and Voldemort would probably come back. He felt his chest tighten until he could scarcely breathe. Tristan approached with the jars, knowing Harry was weakened by his injury and now too slow to be able to take the upper hand. As Tristan approached within a foot, Harry felt a pain shoot inside his chest. It felt like all his muscles were being tugged. He gazed up thinking that Tristan was doing it, but the boy was still approaching. And suddenly Harry couldn't breathe and he thought that the pain inside his chest would burst.

Tristan's smile faded and anger reflected in his gaze. And Harry's vision became blurry and he saw Tristan's hex coming straight at him. And then it was gone. Harry was so confused that at first he didn't register the hard surface on which he fell until he felt sharp pain in his side and in his muscles.

"There you are Potter!"

Harry groaned and opened his eyes, recognizing the voice. Still confused, Harry lifted his head enough to see where he was. He was lying mainly on his stomach, with his legs spread slightly and his hand still covering his wound, which was now also covered by the soft carpet. It was a familiar plush carpet and Harry didn't remember why it was familiar until he gazed up into Draco's expectant silver-blue eyes.

"Potter, are you listening! I was at your place and obviously you weren't at home! I've been trying to find you for hours! I want you to sign a charmed agreement that you won't tell anybody about us," Malfoy said. "This way I can make certain you won't reveal anything until you die, and by then it won't matter."

Harry breathed heavily and realized that Malfoy had saved him. The tugging sensation had been whatever magic Malfoy had used to summon him.

"How did you…find me? What spell did you use?"

"What does it matter," Malfoy drawled.

"Malfoy," Harry shook his head. "You don't understand…"

"What don't I understand Potter? That you're deaf?" Malfoy exclaimed, crossing his arms.

Harry winced and slowly got to his knees. His eyes caught sight of the puddle of red that had gotten onto the clean carpet. Harry rose to a sitting position and his hand was covered in blood from remaining over his wound.

"What the…Potter…you!" Malfoy exclaimed. "You're bleeding all over my rug!" the blond was trying to be firm, but his tone gave away his surprise and fear.

Harry tried to stand but was in too much pain. "Malfoy, you shouldn't have…"

The pain made it too difficult for him to get up and Malfoy instantly summoned two cloths.

"Of course you had to bleed all over my rug, didn't you?" Malfoy tried to drawl, but he seemed paler than when Harry had first gazed at him.

"Malfoy…," Harry struggled to tell him that he was in danger.

"Here, Potter, take this before you bleed to death!" Malfoy snapped, handing him the cloths.

Harry grasped it and removed his bloodied hand to put the cloths there instead. Very slowly Harry noticed that the pain was ebbing away. It was easier to sit up all the way and in fact the bleeding seemed to stop after a couple of minutes.

"What is this?"

"Healing cloths, obviously! It should stop the bleeding, but you'll probably still have to get it properly healed by a nurse," Malfoy said, muttering a spell to clean the floor. "Once again, Potter, you nearly die on me and once again I just barely risk going to Azkaban! You see why I don't want to keep in touch?" he drawled more confidently once Harry was able to sit on one of the couches.

"Shut-up, Malfoy! You're in danger now!" Harry exclaimed, wincing as he pressed the cloths tighter onto his wound. "I was at Tristan's and…he's not...he's dangerous."

Malfoy's eyebrows furrowed and he crossed his arms. "So he, what, tried to kill you because you didn't want to go out with him?"

"No, no. I mean, yes, he tried to kill me but not because of that," Harry said, gazing up at him. Harry sensed that Malfoy was wary and the blond frowned at him with uncertainty. "He's Voldemort servant."

Malfoy's eyes widened with shock and his confidence faded.

"He told me that Voldemort gave him the ability to kill me. Basically, he's Voldemort's Plan C," Harry said dryly. "Voldemort prepared for his demise so that if me or Dumbledore should destroy him, or at least his body, he'd have a servant capable to bring him back using his Horcruxes."

"You told me the Horcrux was destroyed when I shot the killing curse at you," Malfoy retorted, staring at him with an unreadable expression.

"No, that was just _one_ Horcrux. Voldemort has more. So Tristan can track down all the others, even if he only finds one, which I'm sure he knows where all of them are, he can use the one to bring Voldemort's spirit back. He needs a powerful potion to do it though so it would take time—at least a couple months—but still…he has the resources and the knowledge. It wouldn't take forever to find the ingredients. And of course I'm sure he's willing to cut off his hand," Harry said bitterly as Malfoy wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Thanks, Potter, like I wanted to know that. So why am I in danger?"

"Because he was about to kill me when you summoned me! He really took me by surprise and frankly…I don't think I would've been able to get out of there by myself," Harry admitted hesitantly, looking away from the blond. "It won't take him that long to find out where I've disappeared to. Eventually he'll come here. At the very least it'd take an hour to figure out what spell was used and how to track me. Thanks goodness that Horcrux inside me was destroyed otherwise he'd be here right now! It made it more difficult for him to track me without being able to sense my scar, but…he'll still come. It's his priority now to first kill me because he realizes that I'm the only person who knows how to bring Voldemort back for certain."

"I thought you said he had a potion," Malfoy said and Harry could tell he was concerned.

"Well, he does, but it would take a very long time. And frankly, I doubt even Voldemort was positive that the Horcruxes could be used to get him back completely. It's just a theory. After all, Voldemort's the only person to succeed in making Horcruxes so it's not like there's much information on them. I think that Tristan wants to make sure he can get Voldemort back. Without the information on that room that I trapped Voldemort with, he may not be able to bring Voldemort back, or at least not entirely. And he knows that Voldemort wants his body as well as just coming back alive, because he's more powerful with a body.

"Plus, Tristan needs my blood for that potion to work," Harry added as Malfoy stared at him grimly. "So either way he needs me…I mean, I'm the only full-proof way of bringing Voldemort back, unless I somehow forget about that room. I suppose…you could erase my memories."

"Potter, there'd be no telling what I was erasing. That spell is incredibly unreliable," Malfoy retorted. "My condo has the best shield and charm protections, especially ever since you broke into my house for the second time. I've made sure there's no more holes."

"Even so, he'll find a way around it! We're only protected for so long! And once he finds out it's _your_ condo he'll come after you to get to me!" Harry exclaimed standing up. "That's why I have to leave, if it's not too late."

"It's probably way past late Potter! Even if he hasn't tracked this neighborhood yet he'll certain know someone saved you! And sooner or later he'll find out it was me! Ever since the first time I met you, you've been trouble for me."

"Look, please, Malfoy, don't start with a trivial argument," Harry said seriously. "We need to work together to get rid of him otherwise we're both dead."

The blond stared at him for a minute and then uncrossed his arms. "Fine. How about your vampire friends?"

Harry looked surprised but he sat back down. "You know…that might be a good idea. Kald may be able to help me, but…I don't want to trouble him again."

"Please Potter, he kissed you for Merlin's sake. He obviously fancies you and would do anything for you," Malfoy drawled.

Harry glanced up at him feeling heat rush to his face. A part of him was hoping that Malfoy was jealous, but he couldn't think about that completely with his life being endangered yet again. Hopefully, if he survived, he'd be able to get a second chance at trying to convince Malfoy to go out with him. Then again, after being in danger because of him, once again, Malfoy would probably be less responsive than the first time.

"Okay, then we should go to Kald right away. Once Tristan comes here and finds we're gone he'll come looking for us and eventually track us down. However…I still have this feeling that Kald might want something in return. Last time he said he was disappointed that he couldn't have me and I don't exactly want to trade dying to become a vampire," Harry said with slight sarcasm. "So, we need to think of something to give him."

"Maybe you should just sleep with him," Malfoy suggested in his usual mocking tone, only it wasn't as harsh as it normally would be. The blond had raised his eyebrow in response.

Harry shrugged. "Well, if I have to in order to survive then…I guess I'll have to."

Malfoy seemed rather shocked at his answer and Harry missed the uncomfortable expression that passed over the blond's face.

"But just in case he doesn't agree to that, what's something that vampires can't resist?"

"Blood," Malfoy drawled. "And remember when Mr. Diggory tried to give us to him, Kald said that we were only good because of you. So not just any blood would work."

Harry swallowed and nodded. "You're right, but there has to be something! Maybe…maybe since they hate wizards so much, giving them something that wizards might miss could work."

"Like what?" Malfoy asked, leaning up against the living room wall, standing diagonally from where Harry was seated on the couch.

Sighing heavily, Harry wiped at his eyes and shook his head. "I don't know. I wish Tristan would be enough."

"Or perhaps you don't need the vampires themselves," Malfoy said, shrugging. "Maybe you could just trick him into walking into the water."

"That's true," Harry said, sitting up straight. "I doubt even Voldemort knew that the Scale was protected by acidic water and why would he feel it necessary to give that minor detail to Tristan? So Tristan might not even know about the Scale let alone the water. Voldemort only needs him to know enough to bring him back! So that just might work. I could lure him to that place. During the day time, Kald would be sleeping anyway I assume. And besides, he might not be right in that area now that the Scale's not there. That way I could go there without having to worry about Kald and somehow force Tristan into the water."

"I doubt it's going to be that easy. Besides, he could throw _you_ in the water if you're not careful," Malfoy drawled coolly.

"Yeah, but I'm betting on the fact that he won't care about the water because he'll just think it's water. So he won't want to throw me into the water, it'd make it harder to kill me. So I think I'd have the upper hand."

"You think?" Malfoy asked. "You do realize you get one shot," he drawled.

"Yeah, what else is new," Harry retorted dryly. "Anyway, it's the only idea I've got. It sounds like my best chance. We'll have to wait a few hours though before dawn and hopefully he won't break in by then. It's not too far off so I'm hoping your protections really are good because our lives depend on them right now. And once dawn hits I'll apparate to the spot, of course I'll have to use a spell on myself first to make it possible to travel that distance, and sooner or later Tristan will follow. You should be safe here once I'm gone."

"I don't need your protection, Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed. "I can handle myself."

"This isn't a joke or a test, Malfoy! Any false move and you could die! Not to mention, it would be harder for me to concentrate on getting rid of him if I have to worry about you."

"That's touching, Potter, but like I said I can handle myself. It's you who can't handle things alone. You even admitted you'd be dead if I hadn't summoned you."

Harry opened his mouth. "Yeah…are you saying you want to come with me? I mean, you do realize that's risking your own life?"

"I don't _want_ to come with you, Potter! It's your own battle, but seeing as how I'm in the middle of it now, considering you dropped in bleeding to death and now that wanker is going to know where I live, I want to make sure he's out of the way as well so _I _don't have to worry about him! If you die, he'll most likely come after me next because I'm sure he'll assume that you'll have told me, or that I'm your friend so he might just kill me based on that assumption alone! Besides, he'll probably figure out it was me who saved your bloody life!"

Harry was feeling rather grateful that Malfoy was going to help him, even though the blond made it sound like he was only doing it to save himself.

"Okay, but I don't want Tristan to know you're there. Maybe you should go there first and hide and I'll follow. That way he won't know you're there so if anything happens…"

"You mean if you start to lose, which I don't doubt," Malfoy drawled, "then I'll throw him into the water."

Harry nodded in agreement. He was anxious about everything…about being able to do this correctly, about Malfoy being there potentially in danger, but if they didn't do this then there'd never be an opportunity to be with Malfoy again. And he certainly didn't want Voldemort to have a way of getting back. And Malfoy was right…if Tristan was given instructions and resources by Voldemort, then Tristan wouldn't leave Malfoy alive if Harry lost and he couldn't take that chance.

**XXXXXX**

The lights had been off for a long time and the condo was silent. It was approaching dawn and he and Malfoy hadn't said another word to one another, except when Malfoy prepared to leave. Harry reminded him to keep hidden even if Harry got there before Tristan and then he had to tell the blond where it was. After the blond had apparated, Harry became even more nervous. He was quite certain Tristan had no clue about the Scale's location, nor would he need that information to bring Voldemort back and kill Harry, but still…Harry worried about Malfoy's safety.

He waited twenty minutes just to be sure and then he used the traveling spell on himself and apparated to the vampires' cave. It was still dimly lit, even though it was dawn, and there appeared to be no Malfoy and no vampires. Harry hoped that Malfoy was just hiding very well. Looking around, Harry wondered if he should find a place to hide.

He heard a crack and Harry wheeled around, pointing his wand ahead of him. Tristan glared at him and shot a hex right away. Harry just barely jumped out of the way. He winced as his wound throbbed with pain. It was still tender and very vulnerable. Harry had stuck the cloths to the wound to make sure that it kept the bleeding in check but it was still painful to move.

"I knew you'd come into the open eventually," Tristan said coldly. "Voldemort was right about that too. He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows you can't resist danger…and you're careless when attacked. I knew you'd be too restless to stay hidden for long. Besides, I would've been able to break into your hiding place. I figured out the location where you were hiding and it wouldn't have taken me long to find out which house it was. And trust me, if I would've had to kill innocent neighbors to find you I would have. Thankfully for them, you've spared me that energy. Now tell me, who saved you?"

"Why would I tell you anything?" Harry countered angrily, keeping his wand steady. "And why didn't you kill me when you had the chance, back when we hung out together?"

Tristan smiled widely. "I needed to gain your trust. Voldemort warned me to not just go barging in, especially with eye witnesses and the fact that there's always someone watching you. I needed time and a plan to lure you away from help and yet you were still rescued! Even after all I was told by my Lord, I clearly underestimated you, Potter."

He laughed coldly and stepped forward. "Did you really think you'd be safe here? The protections around this place have been weakened. Sure, they seemed to be very good, but time has paid its price. Whosever cave this is doesn't really care that it gets protected anymore."

So Harry's assumption had been correct. Kald wasn't there anymore since the Scale was no longer there. Still…Harry could win but he had to get Tristan near the water. Harry remained silent and watched Tristan closely, anticipating the next attack.

And suddenly Tristan vanished and Harry summoned two charms that protected him when the hexes came flying at him.

"Quite impressive, Potter," Tristan said. "But I'll still get you!"

Harry's eyes narrowed and Tristan tried to capture him in thorny rope that he summoned, which chased after him, but Harry managed to destroy it with a powerful spell that disintegrated it.

"You're proving to be a nuisance Potter," Tristan drawled coldly.

"So that means I'm winning," Harry retorted.

"Not for long," Tristan said, sneering.

He shot another curse toward him and Harry defended himself again, except that when Tristan murmured a spell he didn't see anything coming at him. At least not until something hit him in the back and exploded in a cloud of dust all around him. Harry picked himself up quickly and got out of the cloud before it disappeared. Tristan was still smirking.

"And now it's finally over. Do you know what that was, Potter? It was a potion, meant to touch your skin. Now that it's been absorbed into your body, your scar will begin to act the same as it did being around my master."

Harry's eyes widened and he shot several curses at him but Tristan apparated away and then appeared five feet in front of him and the intense, stabbing pain in his forehead caused his vision to go blurry. Harry clutched at his scar with his free hand and Tristan approached. Harry managed to summon a decent shield around his body, but it wouldn't be hard to break.

"You…coward!" Harry exclaimed, shutting his eyes from intense pain as the boy came closer.

"This isn't cowardly, Potter. It's your own flaw. Master was pleased when he found out he could cause you pain just through his presence. And it's a fitting end."

"So you…admit…that the only reason Voldemort managed to get the upper…hand with me is because…I was weakened by my scar," Harry said in between clenching his jaw.

"Don't insult my master! You should've been dead long before now, Potter! And your scar is your flaw and master just used that to his advantage! He gave you fighting chances even when he could've killed you like that night upon the tombstone. See it now, Potter? But no, he wanted you to understand his power, his glory…he wanted to prove his superiority. And he has. Now it's just time to get rid of you."

Harry managed to open his eyes, but his shield was failing again. And where was Malfoy? Why wasn't he helping him? Had he gone to the wrong place or had he run away?

Tristan shattered his shield and Harry's head felt as though it would explode as Tristan stood above him. The older boy threw Harry backward, skidding against the ground and then stood over him once more. As Harry tried to move, Tristan held him down with a spell.

"Now, Potter…I'll need some of your blood," he sneered. "Be good and hold still or I'll cut off some limbs."

Harry swallowed thickly, staring up at the boy while trying to fight the searing pain in his head. Tristan pointed his wand at him again and Harry cried out as another deep gash was sliced into the side of his thigh. Tristan laughed as Harry bit his lip from the combination of pain and felt something on his leg. Harry turned to see his blood trickling into a vial.

"After I make sure I have enough I'll kill you and make my Lord proud. Of course, I know how disappointed he'll be not being the one to kill you, but his main concern is just being able to come back."

"You can't kill me," Harry said breathlessly, trying to buy time. "I'm his…Horcrux."

Tristan's eyes widened and his eyebrows rose. Then he laughed again. "Well, isn't that interesting, Potter. Master will be intrigued by that. He was curious as to how you could speak Parseltongue and be able to get inside his head and now everything about your scar makes sense…yes, a Horcrux. How ironic. If you had died obviously you wouldn't have become a Horcrux, but just because of that unexpected, and minor, set-back master lost his body and became a spirit and never realized that by trying to kill you he made you a Horcrux. After all, his soul had been recently split from killing both your parents, so…I suppose it makes perfect sense. Still, that doesn't mean you can't die. It may take a few tries until I destroy that Horcrux, but it won't protect you for long."

"And what if Voldemort doesn't have any other Horcruxes?"

"He does. Dumbledore only destroyed a couple and they weren't the most important ones either. I know for a fact that several still exist and I know where they are. So don't try to fool me, Potter. It would be nice to be able to keep you alive until I bring master back so he can kill you slowly himself, as he would've preferred, but—"

Suddenly, he was hit in the side by a curse and stumbled over nearing the edge of the water. Harry was still in a lot of pain but it lessened when Tristan was pushed farther away. Tristan stared at Malfoy who was standing by a tree in a shaded area. Harry felt a rush of relief and Tristan's eyes narrowed.

"So you're Potter's savior!"

"Not exactly," Malfoy drawled. "I just don't like you."

Tristan's eyebrows furrowed. "Aren't you that Malfoy kid I met? Yes, I remember you. Your parents were my Lord's servants who weren't very loyal, weren't they?"

"What do I care? They're dead now," Malfoy said and Harry could make out his bitter tone.

"You think that you both can defeat me? Potter can't even get up when I'm this close," Tristan said.

As the boy moved to get closer to cause Harry more pain, Harry quickly sat up. "Malfoy, now!"

Tristan stopped and focused his attention on Malfoy who, looked startled and confused but shot a hex toward him. Tristan blocked it with ease with a large grin on his face, but that few seconds was all Harry needed to sit up and kick his leg up right into Tristan's stomach. With a grunt, Tristan fell backward, shouting the killing curse that flew in Harry's direction, but being since he was falling Harry easily dodged it. And Tristan lost balance too quickly to shout anything, probably thinking that once he resurfaced he'd finish his master's work. And then Harry heard a gurgled scream from underwater—a scream of fury and pain much like when he had escaped Voldemort that night in the graveyard. It was eerily similar and Harry watched the blood gurgle up to the surface and exhaled deeply.

He dumped the jar full of his blood out and tossed the jar into the water. Then he cleaned up his blood from the ground with a simple spell and unsteadily got to his feet. He was wounded again, but thankfully alive. And now Voldemort's last hope of survival was now gone, forever. Malfoy walked away from the tree he had been standing near and Harry headed toward him, trying not to show his pain.

"Er, thanks Malfoy."

Harry didn't want to admit to him that he was worried the blond had left him to die.

"You better not get me into any more danger, Potter," Malfoy warned him.

"I won't…as long as you get me to a nurse," Harry said. "I don't think I'm strong enough to apparate."

Malfoy gave him an irritable look, but he didn't complain. Instead he grasped Harry's arm and apparated him to the nurse.

Harry just went to a simple wizard nurse and got cleaned up and magically healed. After his visit there, he decided to pay Malfoy another visit so he went to his condo. When the door opened, Malfoy stared at him in annoyance.

"Potter, didn't I tell you to leave me alone?"

"Can I come in just for a minute?"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed but he wheeled around and walked away so Harry entered and closed the door behind him. Malfoy crossed his arms and leaned against the stair railing.

"Make it fast, Potter."

"Stop with the attitude, please," Harry said desperately. "Look, Tristan's gone, Voldemort's not coming back, we can both just relax. I only wanted to thank you properly."

"You're welcome, now—"

Before Malfoy could continue with his obnoxious attitude Harry leaned forward and kissed him unexpectedly. Malfoy backed away surprised and Harry smiled.

"Thank you," he said. "You weren't that bad."

"Please, Potter, you were the one lying helpless on the ground," Malfoy drawled, wiping his mouth. "And don't ever kiss me again!"

"Why not? It's harmless."

Malfoy narrowed his eyes. "Because I said so! I told you I don't like you, Potter. And you don't seem to understand English."

"You know, you were a lot nicer to me when I was dying," Harry said, sighing heavily. "What's it going to take for you to act decent to me?"

"Potter, I said—"

"Why did you summon me? I mean, I know it wasn't because of the book, Malfoy. You told me that you didn't need it back right away. In fact, you said you didn't need it at all, so—"

Malfoy glared at him. "If you're implying that I did it just so I could be around you then you're stupider than I first thought!"

"Fine!" Harry exclaimed, apparating.

He really only apparated to another part of the house and he hid behind a lamp in the darkened room next door. He saw Malfoy from the back and the blond turned around looking taken aback by Harry's disappearance. Grumbling, the blond headed up the stairs and Harry waited till he disappeared before he followed. After waiting until he was certain Malfoy wasn't by the door, Harry slipped into his bedroom.

He was relieved to find that Draco had slipped into the shower. And to his surprise, the blond's wand was in the pocket of his cloak which he left outside the bathroom. Harry smiled and took Malfoy's wand, sticking it in his pocket, before he took off his shoes and lay on Malfoy's bed. He lay on his side facing the bathroom. Almost a half-hour later, the water was turned off and Malfoy opened the door.

"…can't believe that…POTTER!" Malfoy shouted when he spotted him.

Draco was wet with a towel around his waist and he stood staring at Harry who was smiling and lying on his bed watching him.

"Did you really think you'd get rid of me that fast?" Harry countered.

"I told you to get out and leave me alone!" Malfoy spluttered, looking for his wand.

"I have your wand. And I'm not leaving until you're nice to me."

Malfoy's mouth opened and he glared furiously. "Give. Me. My. Wand. Or you'll regret it!"

"Not from where I'm lying," Harry grinned.

The blond's face flushed red with anger and he stomped toward him. "Give it to me!"

"I think I need a shower," Harry said apparating from the bed to right in front of the bathroom door.

Malfoy wheeled around in shock and Harry smiled as he went into the bathroom and shut and locked the door behind him.

"POTTER! GET YOUR BLOODY ASS OUT OF MY BATHROOM!"

Malfoy banged on the door but without his wand he couldn't get in, especially not after Harry put a spell on the bathroom door. So he took his time washing his body from being at the nurse's and made sure his hair and body smelled fresh before he got out, dried off and put a towel around his waist. Knowing Malfoy was right outside waiting, he apparated inside the bedroom by the bed. Malfoy, who had been standing right next to the door against the wall, jerked his head toward him.

"I knew you'd be waiting," Harry said, jumping on the bed.

"POTTER! No, get off my bed!" Malfoy exclaimed, stomping toward him.

Harry put up a protection around the bed and Malfoy seethed, not being able to get close.

"I want you to be nice to me, Malfoy. And if you can't do that, I'm going to be your permanent house guest."

The blond clenched his fists. "What the hell do you want me to do, Potter? Tell you you're great and shake your hand and call you my friend?"

"That's a start."

"_You_ owe me your life! So how the hell do you have a right to take over my bloody bed?"

"It wasn't a real official save, Malfoy. That's not how magic works. If he had shot the killing curse at me and you stopped it, then I'd really owe you my life. Thank goodness you stepped in before he tried that, huh?"

Malfoy scowled and trembled with anger.

"All I want is for you to let me stay the night in which you treat me nicely. That means, no attitude, no yelling, no making up excuses about how I'm to blame for everything," Harry said.

"Spend the night?" Malfoy seethed.

"Would you rather I spend the week?"

The blond glared at him tensely but didn't respond right away. "Fine, Potter," he said through clenched teeth.

"You have to do better than that. And I'm not giving you your wand back until I make sure you're not going to attack me."

"Fine," Malfoy said bluntly.

Harry sat up and took the protections down. Malfoy glared at him.

"Are you going to get off my bed, _please_?"

"It's only seven. Besides, I need to borrow pajamas."

Malfoy scowled again and then relaxed his expression. "I'll give you some, but you need to get off my bed. The guest room is down the hall."

Harry could tell Malfoy didn't like being manipulated, but he wanted to get the blond out of his bad attitude habit and this was the only way.

"I'll go to the guest room after dinner. Let's eat downstairs."

"I'm not hungry," Malfoy retorted.

"Then you can sit there while I eat and we can talk like normal people," Harry said.

Malfoy clenched his jaw and Harry got up from the bed. He waited and Malfoy stomped off in front of him and Harry followed. They went into the kitchen and Harry approached the fridge. He looked to Malfoy for approval but the blond continued to glare at him. So Harry just took some food out and prepared a simple chicken dinner with vegetables. He didn't eat much for dinner anyway. Then he sat down at the table and gestured for Malfoy to join him.

"I need a Butterbeer," Malfoy retorted with a roll of his eyes.

He disappeared and when he came back he had a Butterbeer and was taking a rather large gulp. Harry just shook his head.

"You're so dramatic."

"And you're dead meat."

"Malfoy, I swear I won't leave until you're nicer to me. Trust me. It won't bother me," Harry said as Malfoy clenched his mug. "Come on. It's not that hard to just act civil, okay? Just talk casually. Stop treating me like I just tried to cut off your head or something. If you can do that, I'll leave."

"You've said that before so how do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Well, it's either that or I'll just stay anyway. I have nothing to lose."

"Potter," Malfoy warned.

"Let's talk about Quidditch," Harry replied, ignoring the tone of his voice. "Who's your favorite team?"

Harry took a bite of his dinner and Malfoy watched him closely, not wanting to answer.

"Okay, I guess I'll be staying two nights."

"Fine, we'll play your game!" Malfoy said hotly.

The blond sat back in his seat, taking another gulp, and Harry started talking a little about the Quidditch teams that year. Malfoy listened, looking rather annoyed, but finally he started answering things normally. After about an hour there was a slightly casual conversation going on even though Malfoy appeared to disagree with most of what Harry claimed about the Quidditch teams and which ones would make it to the Championships.

"Did you really date Pansy while in school?" Harry asked after a moment of silence.

Malfoy gave him a look as he swallowed another sip. "Why do you care?"

"I heard rumors about you two. You know, well maybe you don't, but…I don't know. I just wanted to know if what I heard was true."

Inhaling deeply, Malfoy gave him a stern look. "Considering that Pansy was the one who started the rumors, no Potter."

"Interesting…," Harry said. "That's what Luna said but no one believed her."

Malfoy snorted. "That's because she's got a few too many marbles loose."

"I don't think she's as crazy as people make her out to be," Harry said, levitating his dirty dishes to the sink. "I mean, she helped me and…rumors usually turn out to be wrong."

"Oh, did you sleep with her?" Malfoy asked raising an eyebrow.

Harry gave him a disgusted look. "No! Why the hell would you think that? I mean, why are you so obsessed with sex? And your penis!" Harry exclaimed as Malfoy glanced at him. "I mean, you call me gay but then you go talking about your penis all the time, and sex, and how yours is better than mine. Wouldn't you consider that gay?"

Malfoy folded his arms on the table and gave him a sarcastic look. "No, Potter. The difference is that I'm experienced. When you're experienced, you're not afraid to talk about sex and private parts."

"I'm not afraid, I'm just more modest," Harry said shrugging. "I wonder…"

Malfoy gave him a careless look and finished off his Butterbeer.

"Perhaps Voldemort was gay," Harry said.

The blond raised an eyebrow. "Well I don't really care to know that."

"Yeah…I don't even think he had any private parts," Harry added.

"I really didn't care to know that," Malfoy remarked.

Harry shrugged. "You didn't have to see him naked."

"And you're still uncertain that he didn't have parts?" Malfoy asked sarcastically.

"Well, it was dark…and there was a lot of fog…and I was tied to a tombstone so it wasn't the best place. Plus my glasses were sliding down, when I used to have them, so…I'm not positive. But considering that he wasn't really human, you know, being part snake, I'm betting he probably didn't have any just because he didn't need them."

"Okay, can we talk about something that's not so disturbing?" Malfoy drawled.

Harry just smiled. "Okay. My birthday's in July, so in a couple months, and I want an Ash Demon."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Great."

"So why is it so hard for you to do this," Harry said gesturing between them. "I mean…so many times I tried to be nice to you like this and you're like a…like a Hungarian Horntail with a hemorrhoid. I don't see why you seemed to hate me so much, especially after I saved your life so many times. I mean, I expected the opposite reaction."

"Well not everyone likes to be at your mercy," Malfoy drawled. "I especially don't like owing someone my life or having them aide me when I didn't ask for help."

"Even if you're going to die?"

"It's called independence, Potter. But you're much too spoiled to understand."

"I'm not spoiled. I told you about my relatives," Harry said. "And I've had guys like Tristan and worse after me my entire life! You know what it's like now that you've been involved in it. Fame is horrible. And you used to tell me I couldn't complain, well now do you see my side of it?"

Malfoy stared at him quietly. "Are we done talking yet Potter?"

"This isn't an interrogation. We're supposed to be acting civil, which means there's no time limit on talking. Now stop complaining. Be a Slytherin and own up to the challenge. It should be easy to pretend you like someone. You apparently did that for Pansy and other Slytherins all those years at Hogwarts."

He noticed Malfoy's gaze darken but the blond wasn't getting hostile.

"You know, Potter, I distinctly remember you offering to suck me off when you weren't drunk or under any spell," Malfoy said smirking. "And you admitted to being attracted to me."

"So?" Harry asked.

Malfoy leaned backward still smirking. "You've already indirectly surrendered to me by admitting this, Potter."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were at war with one another," Harry commented sarcastically.

"You're just upset that I now know your secret. And all this time I've bet you've been checking me out."

Harry burst into laughter and Malfoy's smile faded. "What? I only recently figured out I was attracted to you, Malfoy. And anyway, what does it matter? You said you don't like me back."

Malfoy stared at him. "Well I don't. Especially not now."

"Oh, don't use that," Harry said, giving him a look. "That's low even for you."

Malfoy rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"You know, I wonder what it'd be like to have sex with a vampire," Harry said, thinking aloud.

"Oh, please spare me," Malfoy commented dryly. "Then go shag Kald, or whatever his name is."

"I don't know where he is. And besides, I only said I wondered what it'd be like. For all I know, he'd bite me in the process."

"Good riddance," Malfoy murmured.

"What was that?" Harry asked. "You want me to stay another night? You got it."

"W-what? Potter!" Malfoy sputtered.

Harry grinned. "Aren't you glad it's the weekend? Well, you don't have a job yet anyway and mine is very flexible."

"Fine. Do whatever you want, but tomorrow morning I'm running errands so I won't have to see your face all day," Malfoy said.

"You know, this isn't being nice," Harry said.

Malfoy stood up and glared at him. "I'm going to bed. Don't disturb me. And put some clothes on!"

Harry looked down knowing he was still in a towel. He didn't have any extra clothes and Malfoy hadn't given him pajamas yet. Once Malfoy left the table Harry followed him upstairs into his room.

"I said I'm going to sleep!"

"I need clothes," Harry argued.

Malfoy sighed heavily and went over to his bureau and threw a pair of silk pajamas at him.

"Thanks Malfoy. And if you get lonely I'm just down the hall," Harry joked.

Malfoy glared at him. "_You're_ the one who fancies _me_, Potter."

"I'm not in the mood for sex right now. Maybe later," Harry said jokingly as Malfoy just gave him an annoyed look and shut his door after him.

Harry smiled. He was in the mood, but he really only had one last shot. So far he had forced himself into the blond's life, which he hadn't planned on doing, but he had to get to the bottom of it! He really liked Draco…a lot and he knew that there were signs that the blond liked him back, but Malfoy wouldn't get past the fact that they used to be rivals. And Harry really wanted him to get past that. Being at his house and in his life didn't mean it was going to be easy. And Malfoy would force him out sooner or later. Still, Harry had to give it one more try.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

_**Author's Note:**__** Only a few chapters left! I'm not sure of the exact number, but not too many. And I know there have been requests for being in Malfoy's POV but I really like showing his emotions through Harry's eyes; basically so you guys figure out how Draco feels from what Harry discovers, bit-by-bit. I know it's annoying and maybe I'll considering doing Draco's POV. I should hopefully update sometime over break between Feb and March. Thanks!**_


	22. Malfoy's Confession

Pure Rhapsody

**Pure Rhapsody**

_**Warning**_**: **_**Sexual content.**_

_**Author's Note: **_For those of you concerned that Malfoy and Harry will never get together, because Malfoy's extra infuriating in this story, don't worry! The resolution has begun! And there's only a couple chapters left! I should hopefully update this in a couple weeks, thanks!

**Chapter 21: Malfoy's Confession**

Harry didn't sleep all that well throughout the night. He kept wondering about Malfoy and if there was any possibility that they could work things out or if maybe he was making a fool out of himself trying to get the blond to admit something that Harry thought was true. Granted, he had felt Malfoy's attraction to him during the times they had sex, but what if it really _was_ desperation or heat-of-the-moment passion? He hadn't thought that was the case because he had been convincing himself—wanting to believe—that there was something _real_ between them.

His body was stiff and his mind was in turmoil, but he forced himself up. He walked down the hall and knocked on Malfoy's door.

"Malfoy?"

When silence greeted him, Harry knew that the blond had been true to his word. It was only seven in the morning and yet Malfoy wasn't in his room. He was going to avoid Harry all day. Harry sighed heavily and slumped against the door.

Harry apparated home. He realized that it didn't matter if Malfoy was attracted to him or not. The point was that Malfoy didn't want to date him or have anything to do with him, and trying to get Malfoy to confess he feels anything wouldn't change him. When Harry arrived home he found an owl perched outside his house. It flew down to him and Harry noticed the letter. After paying the bird, he took the letter inside and opened it.

_Harry,_

_It's been a while. I hope you're doing well! I'll be home for your birthday so I was just wondering what your plans were. Everything is going well. I love my job! And I've met a great guy too. His name's Heero. Anyway, I miss you and Ron! How's sorcery going for you? I've written to Ron recently and he seems to be having some issues with his dad, but otherwise he's fine. He said he hadn't been in touch with you for a while. Seems as though you're already a sorcerer, disappearing without a trace. Well, let me know about your birthday! Miss you, Harry!_

_Hermione_

Harry smiled and wrote back to her. He decided he wanted to have his birthday at the Wizard Hotel that he and Malfoy had gone to. Since his birthday was in just a couple months, he had to contact the hotel and let them know. He'd of course get discounts for his friends, since it was an expensive place. Still, seeing the Ash Demons again would probably lift his spirits. And especially being with his friends again would help.

After he got everything set up, which took most of the afternoon, Harry had an idea. He'd invite Malfoy to his party, just as a last attempt. After all, what did it hurt to try? Harry magically put together an invitation and apparated back to Malfoy's place.

Harry knocked on the door and waited. After a minute he heard footsteps and the door was thrust open violently.

"What are you doing here Potter? I thought I got rid of you!" Malfoy said, crossing his arms.

"You did, but I just thought I'd give you this," Harry said, handing the letter to him.

Malfoy stared at it coolly without making a move. "What is it, Potter?"

"It's an invitation to my party."

"Why the hell would I want to go to your party?" Malfoy retorted.

"You don't have to come. It's just an invitation," Harry said, levitating it in front of Malfoy since the blond wouldn't take it. "It's going to be at the wizard hotel we went to when we were at Embervale."

"That's great," Malfoy said sarcastically.

Harry fought the urge to strangle him and just replied calmly: "Just take it. If you want to burn it, that's fine, alright? I'm not forcing you to come. All the details are on the invitation, if you're interested."

With that, Harry apparated away back to his place. He didn't know if Malfoy would accept or not, but he felt he should try. If the blond didn't come then Harry would just have to accept Malfoy wanted nothing to do with him.

**XXXXX**

_**A couple months later…**_

The wizard hotel was just as busy as the last time Harry had gone. This time, however, he was with his best friends. They had all gotten discounts to stay at the hotel all day and have a good time. It was too expensive for Ron and Hermione to book rooms and they wouldn't allow Harry to pay for them so they wouldn't be staying overnight. Others came, like Luna, Ginny, Seamus, Neville. Harry had also invited the friends he had met at Embervale, who he had hung out with at the hotel. Lilliana had come and her friends Miki and Luke had been able to make it as well.

"This is so bloody awesome!" Ron exclaimed. "There's so many things to do!"

"Oy! Let's get a tattoo like Harry!" Season grinned.

Ron went slightly pale. "Er, you know…they're too expensive, but you can get one."

Harry just smiled. "They are expensive, but they don't hurt."

Ron glanced at him. "Oh, yeah, I know."

Luke turned to him. " 'arry! You have a tattoo?"

"Er yeah…," Harry said awkwardly.

"You'll have to show me it," Luke said.

They were all standing in the main lobby with many others, looking at the blinking signs behind the counter, which showed them all the floors and what occurred on each floor. They had already finished paying and now they were deciding what to do. The girls had separated and were pointing to the pool on the third floor. Ron, Luke and Seamus were talking about the dueling room on the fifth floor.

"Harry!"

He turned to see Lilliana waving wildly at him. She was just as cheerful as the last time. Looking at her made Harry recall how upset Malfoy had acted when Harry had been hanging out with her. He thought it was too much to hope it had been jealousy.

"We want to go to the pool!"

"Aw, come on, that's boring," Seamus said.

"Yeah, we want to duel!" Ron said, crossing his arms.

"Actually, there's a great challenging game that's done in the pool, it's not just for swimming around," Harry said.

Luke grinned. "Yeah, it's called the _Kappa War_ game. Everyone has to reach into a charmed box and pull out what they're going to be, like a water dragon, shark, merman. And one person is chosen to be the legendary sea monster, the Kelpie. But you don't know who it is going to be because all teams have to keep their choices a secret until the game begins. And the Kelpie is given its egg to protect from both teams. One other person is chosen to be the Kappa demon, the legendary Japanese demon who eats anyone who comes into its underwater territory. So if the Kappa person tags you, you're out of the game.

"There are temporary safety spots to protect you from the Kappa demon, but it's a fast swimmer. And anyway, if the Kappa ends up eating the Kelpie's egg then both teams' skin turn various colors and the Kappa demon is attracted to some colors more than others. Basically, if you play the hard version, your skin will stay that color and then both teams have to fight the Kelpie and manage to trap him or her without being tagged. It's pretty fun!"

"Sounds awesome! So you can use magic underwater right?" Seamus asked.

"Hell yeah!" Luke exclaimed. "You can use freezing charms, bubble spells, all sorts of things. However, the safety spots are the only thing that protects against the Kappa, unless the Kappa eats the egg. Then you can use spells and such to trap the Kappa and try to win the game. And you can win prizes and such too! Whosever team member beats the Kappa then wins prizes for the whole team. You can win money or treats or free passes to certain events in the hotel and a lot more."

"Best of all, the pool is so huge, like an underwater lake that we can go off and do our own thing while you boys play that game," Lilliana said, smiling.

"Are there any other games?" Ron asked.

"Oh yeah!" Lilliana exclaimed before Luke could open his mouth. "There are plenty of games. Only three separate games can go on at once, you know, just to make sure there's plenty of space for everyone to swim around. That way it doesn't get too crowded. And one of my favorites is the _Mermaid's Pearl_."

"Oh that sounds so nice!" Ginny said with wide eyes. "What do you do?"

"Well, everyone gets to pick out of a charmed box, like all the games, and you end up picking what species of mermaid you are. There are some beautiful species and others that may not look so pretty but they have awesome abilities. One person will get the chance to be the legendary shimmering Mermaid, but anyway as the legend goes some muggle man caught sight of this beautiful Mermaid and thought she was the queen because she was so lovely. Her tail sparkled in some areas like a diamond and he fell in love with her. And she fell in love with him. But of course there was no way they could be together. She was a mermaid and he was a muggle so when they parted goodbye she gave him a gorgeous magical pearl. It's about the size of your fist.

"The point of the game is whoever ends up being the shimmering Mermaid has to protect her pearl from the two other species of mermaids, and mermen, which is the two other teams of people. And the point is to get the pearl to win the game. But it's so cool because that's not the only thing you can do in the game. You can use your abilities as a mermaid, or merman, to find other hidden treasures underwater and even trade powers with other teammates. It's not a completely fight-one-another sort of game. And also there are other sorts of special mermaids and mermen. For example, there's a warrior merman who has special abilities but can only use them on other teammates, not on the shimmering mermaid. But then if you do get the pearl I heard you transform into a gorgeous mermaid, or merman and you can use that transformation for the rest of your time here. Plus, there are other prizes to win as well."

"I want to do that!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Me too!" Hermione clasped her hands together in excitement. Ron gave her a shocked look, but shrugged. "So Harry, which are you going to do?"

"Er, I think I'm just going to swim around, if that's alright."

" 'course! It's your birthday!" Luke said, slapping his back. "After the games, we can all get dinner together."

Harry nodded, smiling. A House Elf was summoned and began leading them to the pool room. They talked as they headed there.

"Well there are too many things to do in one day," Luke said. "But I heard a rumor that there's a hidden surprise in certain places too."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked curiously.

Luke smiled. "My friend was here once when some kid found a small sac of coins hidden in one of the game rooms playing Wizard's Chess. And there are rumors that really rare items are hidden. This one girl, I heard, claimed that someone years ago found a Sorcerer's Ring, you know one that can change your appearance for at least an hour just by wearing it. It's not common. And I've heard a rumor that they might even have the rarest wizard card of all—Merlin."

"Blimey!" Seamus exclaimed. "That'd be bloody awesome to find it."

"Yeah, it could be anywhere on any floor. One of my friends once found a Godric Gryffindor gold statue about the size of his fist down in the pool area. And you can tell that they're prizes because when you find one charmed letters come up telling you you've found a prize."

"I hope I find something," Ron said.

They finally arrived at the pool room and they used the private rooms to change into their swimsuits. Then they all signed up for the games and took their picks out of the charmed boxes. Harry watched as his friends all dipped into the water. He stayed behind a minute to buy some extra Donnaweed. As much as he wanted to be with his friends, he had a lot on his mind. So much had happened since the last year, and so much had changed. It was all still catching up to him and he felt he needed some alone time to think and mostly to let his feelings go. If he didn't deal with what had happened internally, he'd probably never be able to move on with his life.

Sighing, Harry stood up holding the Donnaweed. He stuck the extra in the pocket of his swim trunks and ate a piece right before jumping into the cool, smooth water. It felt like silk, gliding through the water, watching as rays of light bounced around upon the flowers and exotic plants all around. The deeper Harry swam, the more relief he felt—to be away from the world, to be alone, at peace underwater, surrounded by blue and plants and seeing the clear open space. Now and again Harry would see someone swim past, but it still gave him a sense of freedom.

After swimming around for some time, Harry spotted Hermione with a long elegant cobalt-blue mermaid's tail, beautiful ivory pearls around her neck and a glimmering headband that pulled back her long wavy hair. The headband had an oval sapphire on top of it, gleaming in the light shining from the surface way above. There was a bracelet with seashells all around hanging on her right wrist and more seashell strings draped around her waist, which was now made of smooth skin, like a whale's or dolphin's. She had a silk-like halter top that seemed rather glued to her chest, but had drapery in it, wrinkles like ocean waves and it wrapped around her neck. It was a vibrant amethyst color. And she had amethyst earrings in the shape of pearls as well.

Harry's eyes were wide as he gazed at her and Hermione spotted him.

"Oh Harry!" she smiled. "Guess what? I got to be the glimmering mermaid, or princess or whatever. Isn't this amazing?"

She beamed and Harry smiled in response. "Yeah, it is."

"I've found a great hiding place and so far no one's found me yet. This is just so incredible! I'm so happy you invited us here! Are you having a good time?"

"Yeah, don't worry about me. Just have fun," Harry said.

"Alright," Hermione said, looking hesitant. "I guess I should get going in case someone comes. See you after the game, Harry!"

Harry nodded as she swam away. Dodging past some tall flowers that moved when Harry approached, he headed toward the Ash Demons. There were different colored flowers and all sorts of species, some tall with many colored petals, and others in odd shapes, like an opal. Once Harry was close enough, however, the flowers petals rearranged themselves and he peered inside to see the tiny dragons. The vibrant ivory dragon with a light green stripe down its tail and even a small diamond-like shape between its eyes looked up at Harry. After watching it for a few minutes, Harry reached inside and picked it up. The dragon didn't even make a sound as Harry held it in his hands. The small creature sniffed Harry's hand and began to climb up his arm.

Harry laughed as he felt its claws tickle his skin. He ran his finger down the dragon's back and it stood up on its hind legs, using its tail for balance, and tried to climb up his finger.

"Pathetically predictable."

Harry felt his body jerk in surprise and then turned, making sure to keep his hand over the dragon as he did so. A boy about his age was floating there in the water with short auburn hair and dark blue eyes. Harry's eyebrows furrowed.

"What'd you say?" Harry asked. He had thought he heard the insult correctly, but seeing as how he didn't know the boy he wondered why he would say such a thing. Perhaps he knew who Harry was and didn't like him. However, if he were to be challenged, he'd certainly accept. He was growing sick and tired of people being against him when his whole life had been consumed with survival and defeating Voldemort. No one understood the hell he went through.

The boy smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, as much fun as it'd be to taunt you as you're clueless, I don't want to waste precious time, Potter."

Harry's eyes narrowed. He certainly talked familiar, but it couldn't be…

"Malfoy?" he asked curiously.

Part of him was expecting an insulting look toward him, proving that it was just some kid who didn't like him. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but the boy crossed his arms.

"So you're not stupid after all, Potter. And here I thought you had failed Charms class."

Harry's heartbeat slowed and he blinked in surprise. Malfoy was in disguise…that wasn't too surprising considering he had been doing that a lot lately, but the fact that he came to Harry's birthday party was astonishing.

"For your information, I passed charms with good grades. That doesn't explain why you're using one right now."

"You think I'd come here to watch your party fall apart as myself? That would defeat the purpose of watching it all fall apart on _you_. If people knew I was here, all your friends, especially annoying Weasel would be after me instead of you."

"My friends wouldn't be against me even if it wasn't my birthday. So what the hell are you planning?" Harry asked harshly. "If you're going to start trouble then just leave. I'm sorry I ever invited you."

Malfoy rolled his eyes, though it looked different when he was in disguise. "I was referring to your friends finding out you're gay, Potter. I figured that it'd come out some way or another and I wanted to be here when it happened. Especially for Weasel's reaction. Granger I doubt would react as badly."

Harry opened his mouth to say something but then stopped. He felt the dragon nip his finger and Harry looked down at it. Malfoy somehow expected that Harry would tell his friends, on his birthday no less, that he was gay. It didn't make sense, unless…unless Malfoy just needed an excuse to come to his party. Perhaps this was all just another front. Harry's muscles relaxed and he tried to just be glad that Malfoy actually came. It didn't seem like Malfoy was going to start trouble; that was part of the reason why Malfoy was wearing a disguise. A part of him had wanted Malfoy to show up so he wasn't going to start an argument.

"Look Malfoy, I'll tell my friends when I feel like it," Harry said more calmly. He stroked the small Ash Demon again, watching as it curled its tail around one of his other fingers. "I wasn't exactly planning to stand up in front of everyone, make a toast at dinner and just blurt it out."

Malfoy snorted. "Well if you're not going to say anything Potter maybe I should leave."

"Right," Harry said sarcastically with a raised eyebrow. "And you'll be wasting how much money?"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed.

"Look, if you want to hang around in case someone figures it out, or if I decide to tell my friends privately and see how they treat me, fine. If you just want to get your money's worth and hang out by yourself, fine. If you want to challenge Ron or me to a duel then—"

"That's not a bad idea," Malfoy said, smirking.

Harry inwardly felt relieved. He found another reason for Malfoy to stay. He wasn't sure it would change anything, but from now on he was just going to go with the flow instead of trying to force Malfoy to change. It was obvious that Malfoy couldn't change his personality, even if he changed his behavior a bit. Already he was less rude than at Hogwarts when his family was pushing him to outshine Harry in everything. Harry had even noticed he called Hermione by her last name instead of 'mudblood.' While Malfoy might never accept Harry as a friend, let alone anything more, it was still a start and Harry wasn't going to ruin it.

"So, how'd you know where to find me?" Harry questioned, tilting his head to the side.

"All I had to do was ask where the famous Harry Potter was, since practically the whole hotel knows it's your birthday, probably thanks to the House Elf that led you here because he was blabbing to everyone about you. All I had to do was pay him a little tip to tell me where you were. He probably thought I was some desperate fan to get your autograph," Malfoy explained with sarcasm.

Harry just shrugged. "Great. I guess dinner won't be that private. Unless if I pay a House Elf to keep people away. Yeah, I might do that."

"Whatever. So where _is_ the party Potter?" Malfoy quipped with his usual taunting tone.

"Around," Harry said, gliding backward. "The girls are playing some mermaid game and the blokes are playing that Kappa War game."

"And you're pathetically hanging out with these stupid creatures. Not surprising."

Harry looked down at the ivory creature and then lifted the Ash Demon onto his shoulder. Malfoy watched him and Harry could see him through his peripheral vision, but he pretended as though he was distracted with the dragon.

"I think this one's the best," Harry said aloud. "It's the friendliest."

"Why the hell do I care, Potter?"

Harry glanced up at him, not falling for the taunts. He wasn't going to let Malfoy get a rise out of him because it would only start an argument.

"I was talking more to myself. I'm thinking about asking someone here if you can buy them. Anyway, you can go do whatever you want. I'm guessing the games won't be over for about another hour and then we're going out for an early dinner. After dinner we were going to play more games so you can challenge Ron or me to a duel then."

"And what am I to do until then, Potter?" Malfoy drawled.

"If you're that impatient, go find Ron and join their game or something."

"I don't like your attitude Po—"

"Harry!"

Turning, Harry and Malfoy looked to see Hermione and Ginny swimming toward them. Hermione was no longer in costume. Both of them looked normal.

"Hey," Harry said, feeling his stomach squirm nervously. He knew they couldn't tell it was Malfoy, but he was still anxious.

"Our game's over. Luna won," Ginny said, disappointed. "Who's this?"

"Er…"

"Name's Trey," Malfoy said.

"He came here alone and er was asking to join in some of the games," Harry said, trying to act as though it was no big deal. "Anyway, what do you guys think of going to the duel room before dinner? It's still early."

Ginny shrugged. "Fine with me, I guess. I just saw Ron. He looked like he was proud of the fact that he was the warrior merman."

A snort came and all of them turned toward Malfoy. Harry felt annoyed at him for not being careful how he responded to things.

"So, did you see Ron recently?" Harry asked, trying to distract them.

"Oh yeah, he just swam past us a minute or two ago," Hermione said.

"Er, alright. Let's go find him and see if his game's almost over."

"AW! What's that?" Ginny exclaimed, pointing to the creature in his hand.

Hermione gasped. "It's an Ash Demon! I've heard of these hybrids! They're very rare and probably wouldn't survive long in the wild anyway so I heard that a couple creature protection groups took them in. This hotel must be a supporter of one of those groups and makes enough money to keep them in a good habitat."

Ginny gave her a wide-eyed look but just smiled. "I've never heard of them. They're cute!"

"Yeah. I'd love to keep it," Harry said, looking down at the dragon.

"I don't know if that's possible Harry. Some people do own them as pets, but they're incredibly expensive to take care of because these hybrids are rare. The people who own them probably are also supporters and most likely very wealthy," Hermione said.

Harry just shrugged and carefully set the Ash Demon down back in its flower. The dragon popped its head back up through the petals staring at him.

"That's so adorable, he likes you!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Yeah…er, let's go find Ron."

Harry swam off and Ginny and Hermione followed beside him. Malfoy followed a short distance behind them. When they found Ron he was red in the face and angry and Seamus was laughing. Apparently Ron had nearly won when Luke came out of no where and snatched the egg. Ron had then been tagged seconds before Luke grabbed the egg, which was just out of Ron's reach, by the Kappa demon, played by Seamus.

"That was a wicked game!" Seamus exclaimed, patting Ron on the back.

"Shut-up!" Ron shouted, crossing his arms.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Ron, you're always a sore loser."

Before Ron could retort, Hermione broke in. "Harry wants to duel before dinner and since he's the birthday boy I think we should all go."

Ron opened his mouth. "You want to duel too?"

"It'd be great practice," Hermione said hotly.

"I think it'd be fun," Neville spoke up shyly.

Although he had become less awkward around people, he still had his moments of shyness. And he had done fairly well in the war game and had managed to not get tagged by Luke. That was probably another reason why Ron was upset. He was the only one tagged by the Kappa by the end.

"Where's Luna?" Ginny asked.

"Right here!"

They turned to see Lilliana and Miki swimming beside Luna. She was in a dazzling costume: a shimmering ivory fin and emeralds draped around her waist and neck. A pearled tiara sat in her long, wavy blonde hair. She had sapphire earrings and several pearl and gold bracelets, plus a ruby ring on her right hand. And her body had sparkles splashed upon it, making her glimmer like a diamond.

"Wow! I'm so jealous!" Ginny said, groaning with disappointment.

Hermione just smiled. "Well, it was fun while it lasted. Luna, you get to use the magic pearl that you won for the rest of your time here. So you can use the pearl to transform into that anytime you want."

"That's so unfair!" Miki sighed.

Lilliana just laughed. " 'Mione's right though, it was a lot of fun!"

"Yeah, lots," Luna said dreamily.

Harry had to admit, she didn't look like the awkward girl in the costume. She looked like a shy, beautiful mermaid, although her voice still sounded dazed.

"Since 'arry's the birthday boy, let's all go duel!" Luke said.

"Oy, wait, who's this?" Seamus asked, pointing to Malfoy.

Harry turned, having forgotten about Malfoy since he had remained silent. "Oh, er, this is…um…"

"Trey, right?" Hermione asked.

"Right," Malfoy answered, thankfully not in a sarcastic tone. "I want to challenge Po…Harry to a duel and maybe some others, if I feel it'll be a good challenge."

"Well, aren't you cocky," Seamus retorted.

"I'll challenge you!" Ron exclaimed hotly.

Malfoy grinned and Harry realized that that was Malfoy's plan all along. He really wanted to duel Ron, probably to humiliate him.

"Fine. I'll duel you first then."

"Let's go!" Luke said.

All of them swam back to the surface and got dressed. They all headed to the duel room, talking to one another. Luke was the one who started talking to Malfoy and surprisingly Malfoy conversed with him all the way to the duel room. Malfoy (as Trey) took opposite place of Ron in one of the dueling spaces. Harry was challenged by Lilliana and Ginny and Hermione went together. That left Seamus with Neville and Miki with Luna.

Malfoy was undoubtedly cruel to Ron. He made his voice squeaky and forced him to act like a monkey. Ron only got a couple of hexes in, which only made Malfoy's knees wobbly and made vines grow out of his hair, but otherwise Hermione, Ginny and everyone couldn't stop laughing at the things Malfoy made Ron do. Even Harry couldn't help but laugh as Ron was promptly put into a frilly yellow dress and danced around against his will. Neville was laughing so hard he could barely stand, which of course allowed Seamus to take a hit and change him into a long puffy pink dress. Luna smiled at that but easily blocked Miki's hex, which probably would've done something similar.

Malfoy was having such a good time with Ron, he apparently forgot about Harry, who was busy dueling Luke. Although Luke was very good and got a couple shots in, Harry didn't hold back. All of his training had been used for most of his life and now with his sorcery training it was much easier to duel.

"Wow 'arry, you're amazing! Not that I expected anything less," Luke said, grinning.

"Yeah, you too," Harry said, breathing heavily. "You certainly kept me on my toes."

Luke laughed in response as the duels ended. Malfoy had a very satisfied look on his face when it was over.

"Oh! It's almost time for dinner! We already made reservations at this beautiful restaurant because it's really popular!" Hermione said.

Harry nodded and they all went into the restaurant. Malfoy was invited and of course he came to boast about his victory in dueling. Ron was flushed with anger but he calmed down after they sat down at the restaurant. There were charms all around them summoning transparent copies of various creatures and famous wizards and witches. Most of all the food was magical. It changed people's appearances and there were also prizes to be found in some, like collectable Wizard cards and Dragon cards, which Ron was obsessed with.

Pieces of cake came floating afterward as they all sat around talking about the duels and games and their jobs. Most of them, except for Hermione and Luna, had various flavors of Butterbeer. Seamus' favorite was the chili-pepper Butterbeer and he got teased quite a bit for it. Harry chose the chocolate-flavored Butterbeer while Ginny chose the butterscotch-flavored. Ron's piece of cake suddenly exploded revealing an uncommon dragon card.

"BLOODY HELL!" Ron exclaimed, jumping up with excitement. "It's the Opal-Eye Dragon card! I never thought I'd get it because it's so damn expensive! I can't believe it!"

Seamus burst into laughter but Ron was beaming. His previous bad mood was all wiped away, to Malfoy's disappointment.

"Now Harry has to open his presents!" Ginny exclaimed, summoning hers.

Harry smiled with gratitude, feeling his face flush in embarrassment. He had never really had much of a birthday party. This was the first time it was a big party, with all of his close friends, and in a wonderful place to celebrate it without worries of Voldemort and dangers. Even without Sirius and Dumbledore there, Harry thought it was the best birthday yet.

Thinking about Dumbledore made him remember that he had spoken to Dumbledore's portrait not long ago about being Voldemort's Horcrux. He still had some unanswered questions. Harry figured he'd send an owl to Headmistress McGonagall later to ask to visit. In the mean time, he opened all his presents. Some of them had interesting effects, like Fred and George's present which turned his hair neon green to the amusement of everyone there. Shaking out his hair as the color remained there for several minutes, Harry's eyes caught sight of Malfoy, who was sitting next to Luke and he was laughing. Harry didn't think he'd ever seen Malfoy really laugh before. Not sincerely, at least. Malfoy was always sarcastic or laughing out of spite, never just from having a good time. And it was so different to see him that way.

A familiar longing and emotion surfaced in his chest and Harry suppressed it. He still had feelings for the blond and seeing Malfoy at his party, laughing like that made him want to erase Malfoy's memories of the past and force him to start over anew. But he knew it'd never happen, even if he wanted to try that. After the cake, they all sat around talking and Malfoy got caught up in a debate over Quidditch with Seamus, Ron and Luke. Lilliana talked with Harry for a while about random things, like what he enjoyed and plans for future birthdays and events like the Quidditch Tournament.

"Yeah, we'll definitely hang out again," Harry said smiling. "Thanks for coming."

"Are you joking? I wouldn't have missed this for anything!" she exclaimed. "Say, Harry…I don't mean to be, you know, nosey, but do you have…a girlfriend?"

Harry's heartbeat quickened and he glanced over at Malfoy. The Slytherin was still engaged in the conversation and didn't notice Harry's talk with Lilliana across the table.

"Er, I'm sort of seeing someone," Harry said quietly, glancing at her briefly. It wasn't a complete lie. He and Draco hadn't been dating, per se, but they had still been together briefly.

"Oh yeah, no worries," she said smiling. "I was just curious."

There was only a few hours left before the end of the party and Harry wanted a chance to talk with Malfoy, but he wasn't sure that would do any good. Plus, he didn't want to spoil the good mood that the Slytherin was in. Malfoy got up and Harry glanced at him in surprise.

"I'm goin' to the bathroom. No one eat my cake," he said.

Luke just laughed as Seamus pretended to reach out toward his cake. Malfoy glared but walked away and Harry watched him hesitantly. Malfoy was probably going to adjust his glamour charm so his appearance wouldn't fade. Seamus jumped up suddenly, having had one too many Butterbeers.

"I'm goin' to get me a tattoo!"

Ron roared with laughter, having had several Butterbeers himself. "I have to watch this."

"Me too!" Neville exclaimed.

Seamus stumbled up and Ron and Neville followed, laughing loudly behind him.

Luke, Miki, Lilliana, Hermione and Ginny were all caught up in a conversation. Luke and Lilliana were making jokes and they had been drinking Butterbeer as well. Harry figured that most of them were distracted enough. He slipped away from the table and went out to see if he could find Malfoy. As he stepped into the hallway he realized he had no idea where to start. He started walking in one direction.

"Where the hell are you going, Potter?"

Turning around, Harry saw Malfoy coming around the opposite corner. Harry just shrugged.

"What's it to you?"

"What's the matter, your friends leave you?"

"No," Harry retorted. "I just thought I'd go do something on my own. Seamus went to get a tattoo."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "All he'll be able to afford is a mere Pixie the size of his pinky."

"Probably, but he's too smashed to realize that," Harry said, smiling slightly. "The party's almost over anyway so I was going to take a swim."

"That's nice, Potter," Malfoy said, crossing his arms.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. Harry just shrugged. "Alright, there's another reason why I want to go there alone, but…never mind."

Harry acted as though he had said too much and turned around.

"Don't think you can trick me, Potter," Malfoy retorted.

"It's no trick," Harry said, turning back around. "But I'm sure it'd be too much for you to handle anyway, that's why I'm going to look for it on my own."

Malfoy's gaze remained on him. "Look for what?" he asked, stepping closer.

Harry crossed his arms as well. "You think I'm going to give it away to you?"

"If you don't Potter I'll go in there and tell all your friends you're gay. Even if they don't believe me, they'll still be wondering why I said that," Malfoy taunted. "And sooner or later they'll find out or confront you directly."

"Fine!" Harry said, uncrossing his arms. "Nothing, there's this prize that might be hidden underwater. And I want to go search for it."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "And your friends don't know about it. Interesting…the famous Harry Potter sneaks off to go seek a prize for himself."

"Whatever, more chance for me," Harry said, wheeling around. He then walked quickly toward the pool room.

He ran toward the magical elevator and Malfoy followed right behind him, just as Harry planned. Malfoy jumped into the elevator as the doors closed and Harry just looked at him.

"Did you really think I'd pass up a chance to get something you wanted, Potter? If it's a prize then that means it's fair game."

"There's only a chance of finding it, Malfoy. It may not even be underwater. I'm sure you know that the Wizard hotels hide prizes in various areas sometimes. Well, the pool is really vast and I thought it'd be a perfect place to hide a prize, but that doesn't mean there's one there. So you can go check elsewhere you know."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so, Potter. What'd you do, pay someone with your name to get information on where something valuable might be?"

"No, I didn't," Harry said. "It's just a hunch."

"Right," Malfoy drawled, crossing his arms stubbornly.

Harry didn't respond and just got off the elevator when it stopped on the pool floor. It was around eight in the evening so less people would be there, to Harry's relief. He walked into the private room to change and when he came back out Malfoy was already in his swimsuit. Malfoy was still as expensive as ever. His swimsuit was smooth and silky, softer than Demiguise hair, which was still an expensive item in the Wizard world. However, Harry was sure Malfoy's dark gold, short trunks were made of a much rarer material: the hair off a Goldenray Phoenix, one of the rarest and largest phoenixes in the world. And they were short and fit snuggly against Malfoy's thighs and around his waist; Harry tried to ignore the fact that it was tight enough to show off Malfoy's toned body. And it didn't give much for the imagination for his nether-regions. Harry short dark blue trunks were made of rougher material, from the skin of some dragon. They had been pricey but not even close to Malfoy's.

Harry still had some pieces of Donnaweed so he took the extra out of his pocket as Malfoy went to pay for some of his own. As Harry headed toward the water, Malfoy followed. He dove in, sighing at the feel of the silky water against his skin. He swam at a decent pace so as not to lose Malfoy, but fast enough to not show he wanted the Slytherin to be there. Although he had heard rumors from Luke earlier that day about people finding things, the reason Harry went to the pool was not to see if a rare item was there. He wanted to be alone with Malfoy, to see if things went their own course. He hadn't seen Malfoy in a couple months and he was surprised that Malfoy even came. And now he just wanted to act like friends just hanging out underwater.

Harry wasn't going to force Malfoy to do anything like he had by being at Malfoy's house. In fact, the Slytherin had willingly come to his party and had willingly followed him into the pool. And now Harry just wanted to see if they could act like normal friends, not like rivals and not like they had at Hogwarts or even Embervale. Now that he knew Malfoy better personally, he wanted to give it a real shot. If Malfoy didn't respond or just left, well…Harry would have to accept that. But so far, Malfoy was still following him.

"Where are you going, Potter? Do you even have a clue as to where any prizes might be?" Malfoy asked.

Harry felt his agitation brew, but he ignored it. "I told you, Malfoy. It's a hunch. I'm just searching around for any signs. If you don't like it you can leave."

"And let you find a prize? I don't think so," he retorted, swimming past him.

Harry watched as Malfoy stayed rather close, but swam a short distance away, examining the bottom of the floor as they passed plants of all sorts, flowers, rocks and caves and even a couple other people. Getting an idea, Harry looked down at familiar plants and suddenly swam quickly toward them. Malfoy glided around, having heard him, and saw him rushing toward the plants. Thinking he found something, Malfoy rushed after him. Harry could feel Malfoy catching up to him and it reminded him of all the times during Quidditch when they'd be head-to-head fighting for the snitch.

Suddenly, Harry dipped downward, through a cave and stopped just inches from the area he had explored last time. Malfoy pushed him aside and looked around.

"I don't see anything!"

Harry pretended to reach for something and Malfoy caught his arm, pushing him backward. Then Malfoy reached in toward it. He let out a yelp as a vine twisted around his pale arm, holding him close. A plant reached up out of the bottom and opened its petals. Purple juice sprayed in Malfoy's face, spreading through the water like squid's ink. Then it released Malfoy's arm and dove back underground. Harry burst into laughter and Malfoy wheeled around, waving his arms madly in the water. He wiped the purple goo from his face and Harry took off.

Angrily, Malfoy followed close behind. "I'm going to kill you Potter!"

Harry dodged through a different cave and stopped, turning around. Malfoy stopped and pointed his wand at him, but when he shot a hex Harry just ducked behind the cave wall. Then he appeared on the other side and Malfoy shot another hex but Harry dodged it just as easily.

Without warning, Harry ducked behind the cave and waited. Malfoy got a little closer and Harry then tore out from a different angle and thought of the spell "expelliarmus." Malfoy's eyes widened as his wand glided out of his hand and to Harry.

"Looks like I win this round," Harry said smiling.

Malfoy glared. "Give it back, Potter."

Harry leaned up against the outside of the cave, still smiling. "Not yet."

Harry hid both wands in his swim trunks and Malfoy watched him do it.

"Don't you dare! POTTER! Don't put my wand down your suit!"

Malfoy charged at him, but Harry didn't move. Malfoy tried to intimidate him by coming at him with his hands, but when Harry didn't move he slammed his fists into the cave wall on either side of Harry's head.

"I said give it back!"

"Why don't you take it?" Harry teased, grinning.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed and it was unusual to see a different face in front of him, but Harry was still having fun taunting him.

"If I have to take back my wand by force, Potter, I will and I'll take your suit with it," Malfoy threatened.

"I'll just summon it back to me, or use a spell to conjure another suit," Harry said. "I am rather fond of this one though."

Malfoy's gaze darkened and Harry thought for a second the Slytherin was going to punch him. "Do you think this is a game, Potter?"

"Well…we are at a wizard hotel. And it is my birthday," Harry said shrugging. "I mean that's what friends do they—"

"_Friends_?" Malfoy quipped loudly.

Harry closed his mouth and instinctively clenched a fist by his side. He hadn't noticed the slip.

"Is that what you think this is?" Malfoy asked, gesturing between them as he took both hands away. "You think I'm your _friend_? Just because I came to your party?" he snapped.

"So what? It's not an insult so stop acting like I just threatened to castrate you!" Harry exclaimed, unable to hold back his frustration.

Malfoy clenched his fists by his sides and his expression darkened. There was something in his eyes, a glint of something whether confusion or pain or just anger Harry couldn't tell.

"I'm not friends with you, Potter! Nor will I ever be!"

"Then why'd you come?" Harry asked.

"To humiliate you! To get you back for all you've done to me!"

"I've done nothing," Harry said angrily. "If you don't want to be friends, fine, but stop making bloody excuses. You just don't ever want to be seen with _me_, let alone a Gryffindor because of your stupid family and lineage! But you can't change what's happened between us, Malfoy. And just because you can't handle what other Slytherins like your parents would say, you—"

Harry didn't even know what had hit him until he felt Malfoy's fist in his abdomen. He gasped loudly, trying to catch his breath as Malfoy slammed him up against the cave wall. He felt a wand slip out of his swim trunks from the force.

"DON'T talk about my parents, Potter!" Malfoy hissed. "You don't know anything!"

Malfoy looked as angry as a Hungarian Horntail. Harry's back felt bruised and Malfoy was too close for comfort now.

"All you've been is trouble! I should've killed you when I had the chance!" Malfoy shouted, lunging at him.

Harry dodged out of the way and Malfoy hit the wall, leaving a crack that within seconds fixed itself. However, Malfoy noticed the wand that had been freed from Harry's suit and he grabbed it. With rage, Malfoy swam at him again and Harry tried to escape by swimming back through the cave. Unfortunately, Malfoy was faster at swimming and blocked the end that Harry was swimming toward. Harry didn't want to have to use magic, but he would if he had to.

"You always have to screw everything up, Potter!" Malfoy shouted, pointing his wand at him.

Harry began wading backward but Malfoy threw a hex at him. Harry dodged it and reached for his wand, but because he hesitated, not knowing if he should fight Malfoy or not, the Slytherin blocked the other side to trap him. It was a temporary spell but it worked well enough. Harry used a shield to defend himself, but Malfoy threw several more hexes at him. There wasn't much room to dodge and Harry knew strong spells and curses but he didn't want to hurt Malfoy. He knew saying anything would make Malfoy more angry so he remained quiet, watching him carefully.

"Because of you my whole life is a mess!" Malfoy shouted as he shot a hex toward him.

Harry glided out of the way but he didn't use his wand in retaliation. Malfoy was breathing heavily and his face was flushed. Harry could feel his rage and his confusion and so Harry stayed as far away as possible.

"What did I do?" Harry asked calmly. His heart was beating furiously and his adrenaline was pumping, but he stayed where he was.

Malfoy pointed his wand at him unsteadily, his eyes gleaming with anger. "What did you do? You messed everything up! It was so easy before, Potter! All those times I tried to show you up and I won! And those times I got you and the Weasel in trouble! And even when you defeated me in Quidditch or did something back I was always able to get out it! And you had to get your bloody Gryffindor sentimentality in the way! You're so predictable! All of you Gryffindors!" Malfoy shouted. "It was easy when you'd lose your temper or when you'd be lured by some mystery, but now you've proven you're just as soft as every other Gryffindor!"

Harry remained silent, biting his tongue not to say anything. Malfoy was venting, but he was finally opening up.

"It was so easy to bloody hate you!" Malfoy shouted as his hand shook with anger. "You had everything: the fame, money, Quidditch, and everyone loved you! My friends didn't care! They hated you just as much! Every time you won a match or saved the bloody world! Everyone was always there, even my friends, to test you and…"

Malfoy inhaled deeply. "And then you had to…If we hadn't had sex, none of this would matter! I wouldn't be here right now!" he bellowed loudly, shooting another curse that hit the wall and left a burn mark.

Harry had dodged it fast enough luckily. Still, Harry clutched his wand securely just in case.

"And then you couldn't leave it alone! You had to be _nice_ and try to earn my trust and save my life like a stupid, bloody Gryffindor! And I told you to leave me alone! You make everything so complicated! I WAS SUPPOSED TO KILL YOU!"

Harry was stunned as the words echoed through the cave. He remained at the back wall near the other exit of the cave, holding his wand. His hands clenched his wand tightly but Harry didn't say anything. Malfoy was heaving deeply and his entire face had gone red from yelling.

"My parents told me it was the one thing I had to do! The one thing that I could do right! They told me I was the only one…I was at the same school, I could find you alone! And with Dumbledore gone you were more vulnerable! And I could finally make my family proud! And my father hit me and hit me over again with hexes, warning me to do it and to not fail! And that we would be the greatest family ever! The Dark Lord would make us immune from his wrath if we succeeded! And my aunt warned me if I didn't succeed, if I failed like I did with Dumbledore…she'd make me wish I was never born, because they knew…they all knew that I hadn't done it! They questioned me with Veritaserum because they didn't trust me and my aunt was so angry she tortured me!"

Malfoy fired another curse that hit the other side of the cave wall and left another burn mark. Harry backed away but could only go so far since the other opening was still blocked. Malfoy took a step closer.

"Those were my parents' last words to me that night!" Malfoy exclaimed, his voice hoarse from screaming. "To kill you and not fail them again! Or else they'd disown me, or worse…torture me by handing me over to the Dark Lord! And when you asked me to do it...," Malfoy's wand trembled. "…when you asked me to kill you I thought maybe I'd succeed! And then maybe I'd feel better!"

"Did you?" Harry asked quietly.

"SHUT-UP!" Malfoy screamed, throwing a hex toward him. Harry wasn't fast enough to dodge it, because he was cornered and he was thrown backward into the cave wall.

Harry groaned in pain and before he could summon another shield, Malfoy hit him with a freezing charm that plastered him to the cave wall. Harry was stuck with his wand in hand but unable to use it.

"You don't understand anything!" Malfoy hissed, glaring at him.

"I do, Draco," Harry said, his chest rising rapidly. He could still feel the cool water all around his skin but he couldn't move. "I know that killing me wouldn't have done anything to help you. I know that you had pressure on you. And I know it was easier hating each other, but what does it prove? If we only hate each other because people think we're supposed to…," Harry trailed off. "Is that why you went to Embervale? To get away from me?"

"Yes, Potter! And you bloody followed me there!" Malfoy snapped.

Harry swallowed as Malfoy swam toward him with the pointed now pointed in Harry's face. "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DO THAT?" Malfoy bellowed. "It was your fault we had sex!"

"No," Harry said, unable to shake his head.

Malfoy breathed in deeply and stood, floating in the water with his wand right in Harry's face. He was only a few inches away.

"You've ruined everything!"

"How?" Harry countered, trying to keep his voice calm.

Malfoy stepped closer, breathing in his face. His eyebrows were furrowed and his face was flushed. The water around them didn't feel so cool anymore. "Because I know you've tricked me somehow! To what, Potter, to make me _like_ you? To make me lust after the _famous_ Harry Potter so I can look like the fool in the end? Did you plan the sex, Potter or was that just a perk in your plan? I'll bet you and the Weasle are laughing behind my back!"

Harry felt his throat constrict, but he felt his defensiveness kicking in. "Malfoy, I didn't plan anything. And I didn't _make_ you have sex."

"Right, you just had to be a Gryffindor! You just had to be nice and save my life and force me to have a debt to you!" Malfoy exclaimed.

"I was trying to be a friend," Harry said, raising his voice slightly. He was feeling his muscles loosen, but Malfoy noticed his hand move and he shot another freezing charm at him. Harry clenched his jaw, feeling his body immobilized again.

"And now all I think about is what you did, and how to get rid of you, and EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU! I hate it! _I'm_ in control of my emotions! And I had a plan and you ruined it!"

Malfoy looked away momentarily and Harry could feel his confusion and frustration. Harry realized why the blond was angry. Malfoy hadn't wanted to be attracted to him, because it was easier to hate him and fight him like he had been taught growing up. And it unsettled the blond to have a real attraction to someone without being in control, without it being part of a plan. Harry felt sorry for him, for how he was raised and how his parents treated him. It made him unable to have a real relationship, just like Malfoy's parents. They had only married for wealth and power and keeping ties with Voldemort.

"Draco, I like you. I've told you that already," Harry said, "but not just for sex. I don't want to force you to be with me."

"But you did!" Malfoy snapped, glancing back at him with anger.

"Malfoy…whether or not you regretted it, the sex was consensual. I didn't put you under any spells or anything. And I swear I've been honest about my feelings. I'm attracted to you, don't you get that? I'm not plotting anything."

Malfoy's face twisted into an angry and confused expression. Harry noticed that his blond hair was coming back, as well as his own face shape and eye color. As Malfoy changed back, the blond lashed out toward him. Even in the water, Malfoy came at him fast and grabbed Harry's throat threateningly.

"I'll kill you, Potter! For ruining my life, for taking my fame, for…_everything_!"

Harry had an idea of what 'everything' meant. Probably the sex and whatever feelings, whether good or bad, that Malfoy had toward him. At present, Harry felt his throat constrict, but there was still enough room to breathe. Harry tried to keep his voice calm.

"You know that killing me won't change anything," Harry said, feeling Malfoy's hand shake as he squeezed tighter. It made it slightly harder to breathe, but Harry could still talk. Harry couldn't move yet to defend himself if necessary, but he was hoping that Malfoy didn't really want to kill him. If Malfoy had wanted that, the blond would've made sure Harry was dead in the Room of Requirement when he had the chance.

"Listen, Draco," Harry said, trying to talk. "Even if your parents were alive and you killed me, you know they'd take credit for my death. Killing me won't make you feel better. You know they just said those things and did those things to you to force you to do what they couldn't. They were using yo…," Harry choked as Malfoy squeezed harder.

Malfoy pushed his body up against Harry's enough to keep him in place if the charm should fade. Harry's fingers moved, but he was still unable to use his wand. Malfoy cut off Harry's breathing pipe enough to make it really hard for him to get air. Harry hoped that his instincts were right about Malfoy not wanting to kill him.

There was so much resentment in Malfoy's gaze that Harry could feel it. And he knew that the blond had been suffering. And Harry wanted to try to comfort him, but Malfoy wouldn't let go; he wouldn't let him breathe. Harry was now breathing shallowly, trying to catch enough air so as not to pass out.

Harry's chest was beginning to throb and he could feel his lungs struggling…burning. Harry managed to move his left arm and slowly he fought off the charm and reached out his hand toward Malfoy's. Harry grabbed Malfoy's hand shakily, the hand that was still on his throat. The charm was wearing off but unfortunately not fast enough.

Harry was growing weaker and now he was afraid that maybe his instincts had been wrong…maybe his heart had toyed with him as well, making him think that Malfoy was different from his family. Malfoy's expression was intense and his breathing became more shallow. The blond's eyebrows were still furrowed and up close Harry could see his lips trembling. The blond's face was scrunched as if in pain and his eyes glared into Harry's. The charm began wearing off more and Harry squirmed desperately to get away but his vision was growing blurry and he was feeling faint.

Slowly, Harry reached up his free hand toward Malfoy. The blond's eyes glanced at his hand, but didn't seem threatened by it since Harry wasn't fighting hard. He couldn't fight hard anymore because he was feeling so light-headed. Harry's fingers brushed up against Malfoy's cheek and he tried to focus on the blond's eyes—the harsh silver-blue that widened as Harry placed his hand on Malfoy's cheek.

Without warning, Malfoy released him and Harry coughed desperately as his lungs burned…His vision was blurry and his body struggled to regain breathing. Malfoy angrily swam away and Harry was too weak to swim after him. Once he regained his breathing, Harry took off in search of him. Not knowing where to look, Harry used an advanced spell to track him down. He found Malfoy swimming in the opposite direction of the Ash Demons near many tall plants.

"Malfoy!"

"Go away, Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed breathlessly.

"Stop, I have to tell you something!"

Malfoy ignored him and swam on, but Harry used an agility spell that made him go much faster. He sped past the blond and then stopped in front of him. Malfoy angrily pulled out his wand, but Harry held up his hands.

"Just wait, please…hear me out."

"What the hell do you want?"

"Look, I don't know what to do for you to trust me. If you want to use Veritaserum on me, go ahead!" Harry exclaimed, gesturing with his hands. "But I want you to give me a chance!"

Malfoy looked infuriated and frustrated all at once and he turned his head away, breathing heavily.

"Potter, I don't want to deal with you!"

"Well you have to!" Harry shouted. "You can't just run away from this, ok? If you ever want to be able to stop thinking about me and this whole mess, as you call it, that we've gotten ourselves into, you have to face it!"

"I don't have to do anything!" Malfoy exclaimed, pointing his wand at him.

"I know you won't hurt me! You're not like your parents, Malfoy, you're not a murderer! And I know you don't trust me, but I'm willing to let you use Veritaserum, alright? Just please…won't you give me a chance? No one has to know, I promise. In fact, nobody knows about anything that's happened! I swear on my life about that."

Malfoy inhaled deeply, his face still red. "I don't care, Potter."

"Stop pretending, Malfoy," Harry said through a clenched jaw. "You even admitted to me that your parents told you to kill me. And you had a couple of chances and you never did. I know this is about your parents."

"You don't know anything!" Malfoy shouted. "It isn't about them! I hate them! It's about me, Potter!"

Harry's eyes widened. He knew what Malfoy was upset about now. "You think you don't have anything anymore, that you'll be alone and unsuccessful for the rest of your life…is that it?"

Malfoy's expression changed even though he remained silent. Harry swam a little closer and he saw Malfoy's hand tense.

"I know you've been a Slytherin your whole life, Malfoy. And all you've known is wealth and having a family that served Voldemort and acted superior to everyone else; to uphold the Slytherin Pureblood line. Your life was probably all planned out by your parents, right?" Harry asked as Malfoy's hand trembled. "You'd go to Hogwarts and get selected into Slytherin, like Voldemort had, you'd be the best at everything, you'd serve Voldemort through your family and use your wealth and power to Voldemort's advantage, you'd keep people fearing you and your family, you'd help your parents get control of the Minsitry, and they'd marry you off to some faithful Slytherin girl with devoted parents to Voldemort. And then you'd be forever feared and rich and you wouldn't have to worry about anything, because your parents planned everything."

Malfoy shook his head, looking as though he was going to hex him, but for the first time Harry had rendered him speechless.

"But Malfoy…your parents are dead now, you can live your life however you want. Just because you're not forced to marry a Slytherin girl and that you already expected your life to turn out one way doesn't mean that you have nothing. I mean, look at me. I didn't have anything to begin with. No family, no friends, no future. I had nothing planned. I thought I'd stay locked up in my aunt and uncle's house forever like a slave. And then…all of a sudden I was famous and this scar was all I had."

Malfoy's eyes gazed up at Harry's scar.

"And pain and death were all I had to look forward to with Voldemort. But that's changed, Malfoy. I thought I'd have to face Voldemort for the rest of my life, or die in the war, but that never happened. I didn't know what to do with myself either, that's why I followed you, but the truth is…I liked the fact that you hated my fame. And I liked the fact that you didn't need to depend on me like everyone else. And that's why I became attracted to you. I want to be with you Malfoy. That's all I want."

Malfoy shook his head again. Very slowly, the blond lowered his wand. "It'll never work, Potter," he said hoarsely. "You're always being careless and this is no different. You shouldn't have followed me and stuck your nose where it didn't belong."

"I know that. And I'm sorry for forcing myself into your life," Harry said sincerely. "But…can we make a deal? A way to settle this right? How about if we duel right here underwater and if you win then we can forget everything that's happened and move on with our lives. You can become a famous Quidditch player, or whatever you want to do. You can hate me, ignore my existence, change your name and move to the moon, I don't care."

"And if you win Potter?" Malfoy challenged.

"Then let me hang out with you and…try to forget the past, about your family, about Voldemort…"

"That's easier said than done," Malfoy drawled. Malfoy turned around and shook his head. Harry waded closer to him, wanting to understand what he was feeling. "And I don't want to duel, Potter."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "Well then spend the rest of the night, my party that is, with me and at least pretend to be friends. It's just for a couple more hours."

With that, Harry swam away leaving Malfoy with his thoughts. He returned to the restaurant a few minutes later dressed and weary, but his friends were still there talking and laughing.

"There's the birthday boy!" Luke exclaimed. "Come on, 'arry! I'll buy you a drink!"

Reluctantly Harry nodded and sat down, allowing his friends to force a Butterbeer into his hand. After a couple large gulps, Harry's eyes rose in surprise when Malfoy's disguise, Trey, appeared. Malfoy's eyes locked onto his, but Harry just looked away. He didn't want to pressure the blond into anything. Malfoy needed time to heal. He had obviously been through much more with his parents than Harry ever suspected.

"Oy Trey! Sit down and have a glass!" Luke said, nearly spilling his drink.

Malfoy sat down next to Luke, who patted him on the back, and he was given a Butterbeer. Secret love-life stories were passed around and they all made fun of one another. Seamus came back with a pink phoenix the size of his index finger and everyone roared with laughter. After a few drinks, Harry was starting to feel better. He could tell that Malfoy was loosening up again and he even seemed to be participating in the conversations.

However, when Ron started making horrible jokes due to his drunkenness, Harry saw Malfoy rolling his eyes and making faces at the red-head. After a couple more hours with his friends, Harry became intoxicated, but not as much as Ron or Luke. His friends began to leave as it got later and Harry said his goodbyes. Miki and Lilliana stuck around because they had planned to stay overnight. After Harry hugged Hermione goodbye, after waving to a stumbling Ron, he remembered turning to Malfoy.

"I'll duel you."

Malfoy snorted. "You'll lose."

Harry didn't even remember the walk to the duel room, only dodging Malfoy attacks and laughing at the ridiculous things that happened. Then again, he remembered laughing at nearly everything. After the duel, as it neared midnight, Harry approached Malfoy. The blond looked smug because he had gotten more hits in.

"I told you, Potter," Malfoy said. "And now you owe me drinks."

The next hour seemed to pass by too fast. They went to a pub on one of the floors and Harry vaguely recalled spending quite a bit of money on fancy drinks. Harry remembered Malfoy making fun of him and bragging about beating him in dueling and after the third drink Harry was certain that he had leaned over and kissed Malfoy.

The next thing he knew they were on something soft. Harry blinked out of his daze as he tried to sit up properly. He noticed the silky black bed sheets and recognized the room as Malfoy's bedroom. The blond had his shirt off and looked as though he was having trouble getting on the bed and even though Harry was drunk and he could see how drunk Malfoy was he didn't want to stop. Harry reached up and pulled Malfoy down with him. The two fell over onto the bed rather ungracefully. And Harry kissed Malfoy again. And he remembered the blond's tongue slipping into his mouth.

Harry had trouble pulling off his shirt even as he felt Malfoy's hands on his jeans. Once his jeans and shirt were off, he felt Malfoy's half-nude body on top of his. As Harry wrapped his arms around Malfoy's neck he felt Malfoy push him down further onto the bed. And then Malfoy rose up off him and Harry watched, still a little dazed, as Malfoy took off his own pants and boxers. Harry sat up and then leaned forward to kiss Malfoy again. As their lips crushed together, he felt Malfoy's hand grab his arm roughly.

Harry was then on his stomach and he felt Malfoy's naked and warm body on top of him. Harry also saw that he was staring at the bottom of the bed, not the headboard. And then his muscles tensed and he clenched the silky bed sheets as he felt Malfoy's erection penetrate him. It was clumsy and not entirely gentle. Harry winced at first but groaned once Malfoy's hand grabbed his thigh. And then Malfoy was moving on top of him and though Harry couldn't see him he could feel the pleasure bubbling with all the drinks he had had. Malfoy thrust into him and Harry clenched his jaw, arching his back up. At some point, Harry rose up on his knees for better comfort and he felt Malfoy groaning and panting behind him.

When Harry awoke his vision was blurry and his head was half hanging off the side of the bed. He slowly rose up and blinked several times. He turned and saw the familiar headboard with the pillows that were in disarray. Gazing to his left, Harry saw Malfoy sprawled out and naked on the bed. He sighed heavily wishing he could remember more of the night. He remained lying down for a while until he felt the bed move. Malfoy groaned as he got up, rubbing his face. After a few minutes, the blond noticed him and Harry sat up ready for yet another argument.

"Goddamn it, Potter," Malfoy groaned.

"We should really stop drinking," Harry said.

Malfoy gave him a look and got up off the bed. "It's just sex, Potter, that's all. Don't make a big deal about it, got it?" Malfoy raised his voice, staring at him threateningly.

"I won't," Harry said, staring at him calmly.

Harry watched him get dressed and go into the bathroom. He thought about it and realized that perhaps this time he should just go with the flow and let Malfoy handle things. When Harry tried to handle things it hadn't gone so well, but perhaps Malfoy would be ready for a relationship eventually. Maybe Harry just had to be patient with him.

When Malfoy came out of the bathroom he was dressed. Harry got up and started getting dressed.

"What the hell did we drink?" Harry asked.

"How should I know. I was just picking the most expensive drinks on the list," Malfoy drawled. "I have to go to an interview so I need you out. Remember, Potter if you breathe a word of this—"

"I know, I heard you the first time," Harry retorted, but he kept his tone steady. "And if I had wanted to tell someone I would've done it way before this."

Harry was referring to the fact that they had had sex quite a few times and he could've let the truth slip to Ron or Hermione when it had first happened, but he hadn't. He would never admit to Draco that it was partly because his friends would be furious and probably disgusted.

Malfoy stared at him intensely. "Good."

And then the blond went into the bathroom again. Harry finished getting dressed, made sure he had his wand and apparated back home. A part of him felt like Malfoy would never change, but then he realized that if Malfoy was completely against Harry being in his life he wouldn't have come to the party and he wouldn't have risked drinking. Hopefully that meant Malfoy was alright with opening up to him.

Already Malfoy had admitted a great deal about what was going on with him, about how his parents had wanted him to kill Harry. Malfoy's parents still plagued him even though they were dead. Harry hoped that now that Voldemort was hopefully gone for good and now his servant too that Malfoy would open up more and more. Perhaps it was possible that something good would happen between them.

TO BE CONTINUED…

_**Extra Note:**___**Fear not, for those worried that this story will never be resolved. Now that Malfoy has opened up to Harry, the next chapter should relieve your anxieties about them not being able to be together. There will only be a couple chapters left, including the epilogue so this story should be finished soon. **

To Reviewers:

**Ardent Affair: **I know it's very frustrating. But I figured this story, different from Captivation, would be much more like their rivalry relationship, which is also back-and-forth and very frustrating. I didn't think that Malfoy would give in so easily. Both Malfoy and Harry can be very stubborn and that's what I was experimenting with, especially with the factors of Voldemort, dangers, etc. that change situations. I'm very sorry you're frustrated and I promise you that they will be together soon. There's only a couple chapters left.

**Kai'sgrl: **Hey thank you for sticking with this! I know it's taken me forever to update! I hope this was another long chapter for you! I try to keep them as long as possible! School has been very time-consuming especially with work, but I will finish this soon. I should be updating this again in the next couple weeks. I know it's frustrating how Malfoy and Harry go back and forth a lot in this story but bear with me. It's almost over and they're making progress. Thanks!

**Fantasies4eva: **Hey, thanks! I'm glad you like Harry's POV. I usually do stories just in his perspective. At some point I'll have to try a story from Malfoy's POV, that'd be interesting but definitely more difficult.

**Momo Yuki: **Thanks so much! I'm sorry this took forever to update! Life's been hectic, but I'm determined to finish this soon! I have the next chapter outlined already so it should be up shortly.

**Duzen Broken DreamZ: **Hey, thanks so much! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the chapter! Yeah, there was a lot of action in the last one and not so much in this one, but I hope it's just as enjoyable. I know everyone, including you, is frustrated about Malfoy being so stubborn through all these chapters, but it's almost over so they'll be together, for real, soon.

**Missy Padfoot: **Yeah, Draco's been going through a lot. And now Harry knows more about what's going on with him. So now that Draco released some of his tension, he'll be getting much less frustrating I promise. And Harry wasn't trying to torture Draco either, hehe. It was just supposed to be Harry's careless and "jumping into situations without thinking" way of trying to get Malfoy to admit he was attracted to Harry. But it's almost over so they'll be together soon, thanks!

**penguinGirl: **Hey, I answered your questions in the review page right after your review. This story is definitely darker and more frustrating than Captivation because Malfoy doesn't come around as easy. But I hope you enjoy it, if you read it! Thanks!

**Ghosthly Shadow**: Hey! Thanks so much! I'm glad you like my stories! I really appreciate that! Just to warn you, this story has a very different feel than Captivation. Malfoy won't be coming around as easily and he'll be much more frustrating. But it's almost over so the ending is approaching and so the resolution is coming. Hope you enjoy it! Thanks!


	23. The Final Act

Pure Rhapsody

**Pure Rhapsody**

**WARNING:**_** Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows **_**spoilers**

**Pre-warning for final chapter (epilogue): **_**Sexual content**_

**Chapter 22:**** The Final Act**

_**Almost two months later…**_

Harry walked into the Dragon's Claw and headed toward the bar. Just as expected, Malfoy was seated there with his drink in hand reading _The Daily Prophet_. It had taken a long time for Malfoy to admit what was really behind his anger with Harry. In fact, Harry wasn't even sure he knew everything, but he did understand Draco better now. Harry had been thinking about what happened between them after his birthday. Harry knew they had been drunk, but the way Malfoy had acted afterward made Harry curious. The blond usually yelled at him and denied responsibility but this time he had just told him to not make a big deal out of it.

Harry didn't want to be annoying, so he had planned to not confront Draco at his house, but he did remember that Malfoy liked the pub the Dragon's Claw and one night he decided to go there. To his luck, he had found Malfoy sitting there. The Dragon's Claw wasn't popular to any of their mutual friends, because it was so far away and it was fairly small, but that gave Harry the opportunity to be with Malfoy alone. The first time Harry had gone back to the Dragon's Claw was five days after his birthday party (in which he had ended up at Malfoy's place). Malfoy had been seated at the pub and Harry had gone up to him and sat down next to him. He hadn't spoken for a while, content to just sit there in silence and when Malfoy finally asked him what he was doing there Harry answered that he was relaxing and he liked the place because no one recognized him. Strangely, that seemed to be enough for Malfoy.

Ever since Malfoy's confession to him about his parents, the blond had become less violent and didn't run away every time he saw Harry. So Harry had become accustomed to going to the Dragon's Claw every Saturday evening where he would see Malfoy sitting in the same place as the last time. Malfoy glanced at him as Harry sat down.

"Is there anything interesting?" Harry asked him, gesturing to the paper.

Malfoy turned his gaze on him and folded the paper. "Why don't you just read it yourself, Potter?"

Harry took the paper as Malfoy handed it to him. Then the blond grabbed his drink and took a swig. Malfoy was still always sarcastic, but he seemed to be in a bad mood again. Harry knew better than to ask him directly so he just opened the paper. He looked for something to talk to the blond about, perhaps Quidditch or something, when he spotted an unexpected article. Harry leaned closer and read it.

"Malfoy, did you…," Harry looked up pointing at the article. "Did you read that Theodore Nott is wanted by the Ministry?"

Draco leaned back in his chair and ran his hands through his blond hair. He then leaned back down on the table with his arms crossed and turned his head toward Harry.

"You're so daft Potter. They've been looking for him for three days now."

Harry stared at Malfoy, trying to discern whether the Slytherin was upset by the news or not. "He was in our class wasn't he? I mean…he was friends with Pansy and Blaise, right?"

Malfoy took another sip of his drink and snorted. "Everyone knows that, Potter. If he was smart, he would've stayed hidden. The Ministry found his family's hiding place. Theordore escaped but his father didn't. They arrested his father for murder and stupid Theordore decided to try and break his father out of Azkaban. He was almost caught but he escaped and now they're looking for him."

"Is the Ministry going to…execute his father?" Harry asked quietly.

"Most likely, Potter," Malfoy drawled. "Any Slytherin who has been under the Dark Lord's ranks is going to be executed. That's why most Slytherin families are in hiding."

"But…there's still going to be Slytherins when the new year starts."

"Yes, but those families won't have been connected with Voldemort since he's gone," Malfoy drawled, glancing at him.

Harry sighed. "I don't see how Theordore's hiding so well from them. I mean, I know his father was one of Voldemort's close supporters, but…"

"He's obviously not alone," Malfoy drawled, finishing off his drink.

Harry stared at him. "Wait, Malfoy you're not helping him are you?"

The blond pushed the empty mug away and stared at him. "Stay out of my business, Potter."

"Malfoy," Harry said, leaning toward him, "if you help him you'll be putting yourself at risk again. There's not going to be another Scale so you can't just erase all suspicions against you again. Would you really be willing to take that chance?"

"Stop badgering me, Potter," Malfoy snapped. "I know what I'm doing. Do you think I'd be stupid enough to help him _directly_?"

Harry felt his chest loosen. "So, you're not harboring him?"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "No, Potter. I'm not bloody stupid."

Nodding, Harry stared at the blond uncertainly. "Er, what are you doing for him then, if you're not directly connected to him?"

Another drink floated toward Malfoy as he motioned for another. The blond didn't answer him at first so Harry scooted closer.

"Malfoy, I'm not going to tell anyone."

The blond's bright silver-blue eyes locked into his. They were only a few inches away from one another. Harry stared at him firmly, hoping that Malfoy would tell him something.

"I told you I know what I'm doing, Potter. So drop it."

Harry felt his muscles tense but he knew that once Draco made up his mind that was it. Harry was concerned that Draco was helping Theodore too much. Even if Malfoy was careful to keep it out of the Ministry's radar, Harry was concerned that Draco would start to go back to his old ways if he kept in touch with his old Slytherin friends.

"Do you…er, know if Pansy's still alive? I heard her family vanished."

"Many people vanished, Potter. It's called hiding," Malfoy drawled.

"Yeah, but…," Harry shrugged. "You were good friends with her. Wouldn't you want to know what happened?"

"First off Potter, we were never good friends! And second off, I don't really care where she is. Though I wouldn't be surprised if she was helping Theordore out. She's probably with Daphne and Astoria," Malfoy muttered, taking another sip of his drink.

The two female names sounded familiar. He was quite sure there was a Slytherin girl named Daphne who was in their year, but he didn't know anything about her. Before Harry could ask anymore questions, Malfoy stood up and left coins on the counter.

"Are you going home?"

Malfoy turned partially around. "Obviously, Potter."

Harry nodded and watched Malfoy leave the pub. After a few minutes, Harry went home as well. He was anxious about Malfoy's involvement with a Death Eater's son, but he hoped that Malfoy was right in knowing what he was doing. Hopefully the blond wasn't doing anything dangerous. Harry couldn't imagine that Malfoy would risk exposure after the miracle it took for the blond to not get arrested like his parents (only due to the Scale's power). Still…he had to wonder what Malfoy was doing for Theordore, and maybe Pansy and other Slytherins in hiding.

**XXXXXX**

_A couple days later…_

Harry had been studying the Dark Arts book that Malfoy had lent him for most of the day. He hadn't been able to sleep because of his concern for Malfoy. Because he couldn't concentrate, Harry decided to take the trip he had been planning on. When the towers of Hogwarts came into view, Harry felt some nostalgia for the school. It was so hard to believe that he wasn't going to classes there anymore.

Harry entered the castle and went up to the Headmistress' office. He approached the office door, glancing at the gargoyle that stood next to the door. He knew he couldn't get inside without the password and it was too risky to take the same secret passage he did the last time he talked with Dumbledore. This time, he hoped that McGonagall was in. He knocked on the door twice. In a matter of moments the doors opened and Harry saw McGonagall.

"Harry! What a surprise," she exclaimed. "I'm very sorry, but I have a meeting with the Ministry in just a few minutes so I have to leave."

"Er, it's okay. I just need to speak to Dumbledore for a moment."

McGonagall's eyes widened but she nodded. Harry stepped inside and she smiled at him.

"I'm very sorry I can't stay, Harry. I hear you're studying sorcery."

"Yeah. I have to go in for a sorcery test in about a week," Harry said.

She smiled widely. "Well, I'm very happy for you. Feel free to stop by the school anytime you'd like to visit. I'm afraid I must leave now."

Harry nodded. "Thanks."

McGonagall smiled again as she walked out, shutting the large doors behind her. Harry heard them lock automatically and he took in a deep breath. Harry walked toward the wall of portraits, feeling his heart race with each step. He went toward Dumbledore's portrait and saw that he was sleeping like the rest of them, just as he had been before. Harry reached toward the portrait and before he could touch his wand to it, Dumbledore's eyes opened. Harry stopped and pulled back, staring at him as the familiar blue eyes opened completely. Dumbledore smiled at him and Harry could see that he wasn't at all surprised to see him alive.

"You've come to see me again so soon, Harry," Dumbledore said as he sat up in his chair.

"I just…I wanted to talk to you again. Um, there are some things I want to tell you."

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose slightly.

"I think the Horcrux inside me is gone."

Dumbledore's eyes stared at him firmly and Harry was certain he saw the glimmer of power behind his gaze.

"Er…," Harry said, shifting his weight to his other leg, "I had Malfoy shoot the killing curse at me to do it. I didn't think it'd work, but…but it did. I mean, I felt pain and then something came out of me and I think I felt Voldemort's rage too."

This time Dumbledore's gaze darkened. "Hmm…I daresay young Malfoy was doing well in his studies, but to possess enough power to reach the Horcrux…," Dumbledore inhaled slowly. "Well...in order to have any effect at all I'm sure he must've used the curse before."

Harry's throat constricted and he tried not to show unease. He didn't want Dumbledore to read him, if he still could, and find out what happened between him and Malfoy. It was just too…embarrassing to have his former mentor know. In fact, Harry was beginning to think he wanted to live two separate lives: one with his friends and the other secretly dating Malfoy. Yet at the same time he realized if he continued to be with Malfoy, his friends would have to find out sooner or later. It was just too big a secret to keep quiet forever.

"Er…well…he is a Malfoy," Harry said uncertainly. "And…I'm sure Lucius taught him."

"Perhaps," Dumbledore said, crossing his arms across his stomach.

Harry stared at him and shrugged. "Er, and surprisingly he didn't want to do it. Malfoy said he was afraid he'd be arrested again and executed like his parents."

"Ah yes, I recall Minerva mentioning that some time ago," Dumbledore said, nodding.

"Yeah, in fact, he only shot the killing curse at me because I asked him too. And when I woke up he seemed really afraid that he had actually killed me, so…I don't think he's at all like his parents. But, I know that Ron and Hermione would tell me that he's still a Slytherin whose family was in league with Voldemort so I can never trust him," Harry said glumly as he leaned up against McGonagall's desk.

Harry sighed heavily, knowing that he couldn't confide everything about his relationship in Malfoy, but he needed someone to talk to. "I guess I'm just worried that Malfoy's going to become like his parents; that I'll trust him for a long period of time and not be prepared when he does try to kill me. I'm just so tired of having to worry if someone is going to try to kill me…and I want to believe that Malfoy won't, but then…what if Voldemort has another servant out there waiting to track me down and kill me?"

"Unfortunately, Harry, that comes with being marked by Voldemort. You may never fully escape from that," Dumbledore said gravely. "However, you can take comfort in that the likelihood of Voldemort ever coming back himself is very small. At the same time, Harry, it is very unlikely that Malfoy destroyed the Horcrux."

The feeling of dread like when Tristan had trapped him in the cabin consumed him. Harry stood there staring at Dumbledore with a look of terror.

"What? But I…something came out of me! You can't be saying that Voldemort can still use my scar? I thought you said I had to destroy the Horcrux!"

"Yes, Harry, I did," Dumbledore said, closing his eyes briefly. "There are very few ways to destroy a Horcrux. The only known ways are either by the maker, Voldemort, or by an object created with a Basilisk fang or venom, like Godric Gryffindor's sword."

"But I can't stab myself! I'll die!" Harry exclaimed.

Dumbledore's expression saddened. "I know, Harry. I assume what happened with Draco is that he had enough power to make the Horcrux react, but I'm certain it wasn't destroyed."

"But I felt Voldemort's anger!"

"Because I'm sure he felt the connection with you weaken momentarily. He was probably afraid you had figured out a way to close the bond between you."

Harry shook his head, unable to accept it. "But I haven't felt him since!"

"I'm sure he just wants you to let your guard down," Dumbledore said quietly.

"Maybe I should've used the Scale for myself!" Harry blurted out.

Dumbledore's eyes widened. "So you found the Scale?"

Harry looked up at him in surprise. "Er, yeah…but I gave it to Malfoy to save him from being executed like his parents. He was arrested by the Ministry and framed for murder…"

Although it was subtle, Harry could've sworn he saw disappointment in Dumbledore's eyes. "I knew you'd eventually find out about the Scale, Harry. I've suspected the Minister's desire for it for a while. And I knew it was only time before Voldemort caught on. I left clues for Scrimageour, notes which I left leading to the secret hiding place of the Scale. I had only gotten so far. I knew vaguely about the Pond of Desires, but not its exact location. And I knew Scrimageour would find my notes on it, but even he wouldn't have been able to figure it out. Voldemort, as I'm sure, was the one to kill Scrimageour hoping to obtain the location, probably thinking that Scrimageour had found it. I was certain that you would figure it out…after all, you have a lot of the same determination that I did. Although I didn't have time to follow through with my search for it, I was certain you'd find it."

Harry felt his stomach clench uncomfortably. "You were hoping I'd use the Scale to destroy the Horcrux within me…?"

Dumbledore smiled weakly and nodded. "Yes, Harry. I didn't expect there would be other troubles. When you came to me the first time and I told you the Horcrux needed to be destroyed, I had already heard about Scrimageour and what you did to Voldemort. I was so sure nothing would be able to stop you from finding it."

"But…is there any other way to destroy it without having to stab myself with Godric's sword?" Harry asked bitterly. "I mean, maybe if Malfoy were to try the killing curse on me again…"

Shaking his head, Dumbledore looked down at him wearily. "I'm afraid only Voldemort possesses enough power to destroy it, Harry. The Horcrux protected your life when Draco shot the curse at you."

"Is that why something black came out of me?"

"I assume so. It was a sign of the Horcrux's abilities being used. When it protected your life, it probably gave off some kind of magic which could have escaped through your body. However, if the Horcrux was destroyed completely Harry, you would know. You would feel a drain on your body and in your powers for a while."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "How come?"

"Because ever since Voldemort marked you and gave you a piece of his soul, making you stronger magically when around him, your body has adapted to that feeling and the abilities the Horcrux gave you. Without those, your body would feel strained and weak until the side effects went away," Dumbledore said, sighing. He rubbed at his eyes and then looked at him gravely. "I didn't want to reveal this to you before, Harry. It was supposed to die with me, for everyone's safety. But I'm afraid now there's no choice. I told you last time about the children's story about the _Enchanted Room_. As I said, some children's stories or myths are based on reality, as that one was. There is another myth passed down as a children's story called _The Deathly Hallows_. That too is based on fact and it has been my main focus. That is why I did not pay much attention to the Scale, because I was more focused on finding a very special and powerful wand, Harry. One that Voldemort no doubt wanted to get his hands on."

"But why would Voldemort want some wand if he was after the Scale?"

Dumbledore's eyes dimmed. "Voldemort wasn't really interested in the Scale, Harry. He knew that we were trying to search for its whereabouts so we could use it against him. As a boy, Tom Riddle was always obsessed with power. He wants to be the most powerful sorcerer with his own magic. And to him, getting the most powerful wand in the world is more important than the Scale. For all we know, the Scale's power could be limited, especially for what Voldemort desires. No one has used the Scale before, until now, Harry, so there's no telling if it would be any use to him. Still, we thought it could at least increase our powers which would increase our chances of stopping him. And Voldemort wanted to stop Scrimageour and the Order from being able to locate it.

"However, even Voldemort didn't think we'd succeed in finding its location because there were hardly any clues to go on and it had already been searched for centuries ago. Yet Voldemort never takes chances. He wanted to make sure that whoever knew anything about the Scale would die, just for security measures."

"But if he did get the Scale, couldn't he wish for the wand?"

"No, Harry. That's what's so special about this wand. It's so powerful that it cannot be controlled unless a person proves their worth by earning it. The last keeper of the wand was a man named Gregorovitch who was a brilliant wand maker, Harry. He was the one to create the wand, one of the three Deathly Hallows. Gregorovitch didn't understand how to access its full ability. And it was stolen by an old colleague of mine back in school: Gellert Grindelwald. He used to be my friend, but…he was more corrupted than I thought. We were once friends and then quickly became enemies after he acquired the wand."

"Wait, I remember…on your famous wizard card it said that Grindelwald was the infamous Dark Wizard you defeated," Harry said.

"I had to keep that wand from the wrong hands," Dumbledore spoke quietly as he sagged back into his chair. "I had to stop him. He wasn't what I thought…I had, shall we say, became quite attached to him."

Harry flushed red at the hint. "You…were more than friends?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "For a while. I was so impressed with his wand skills, but then he became, much like Tom Riddle, obsessed with domination over Muggles. And that was what ended our friendship. He got be entranced by the myth about the Deathly Hallows and the three items that made it up: A cloak of Invisibility, A Resurrection Stone and most importantly The Elder Wand, which Voldemort seeks. I suppose it was after he killed my sister that our friendship ended and he fled. And when he discovered that wand, I knew I had to stop him. And I did…it was what gave me the reputation I had and also my encounters with Voldemort who of course killed Gellert when he was in Nurmengard prison, a prison that Gellert created for his enemies, ironically."

Dumbledore sighed again and wiped at his forehead. The memories still seemed sore it appeared. "You see, Harry, that wand was originally owned by Peverell. The Elder Wand was also called the Deathstick and Wand of Destiny in its years. My plan was to have Snape be the owner after my death, but I failed to account that we had planned my demise for your sake and Hogwarts."

"_What_? You planned it?" Harry asked exasperated. "How could you do that and not tell me!"

"Listen to me, Harry, that's not important. It was necessary, you see. Voldemort would've tracked that wand down to me. He knew of my fight with Grindelwald and it was a matter of time. But because I didn't take into account that Snape didn't really defeat me, because we had planned it, it is now the owner of the one who disarmed me."

Harry nearly choked. "No…it…Malfoy?"

Dumbledore nodded. "It rightfully belongs to him right now, unless he is disarmed. If you disarm him of his wand, you will be the rightful owner. And then I will tell you where the wand is hidden and you will have the ability to access its power. That alone can destroy the Horcrux within you. When you have done that Harry, you only need Draco's wand to summon it to your hand and it's yours. And then you can return Draco's wand to him.

"One important thing you must understand Harry. The reason that your wand and Voldemort's are brothers is because you both are descendants of the Peverells who were the original owners of the three Deathly Hallow items. The invisibility cloak landed in the hands of your father, somehow being passed down through generations," he explained, as Harry's eyes widened. "And the resurrection stone Voldemort had stolen and made into a Horcrux, but I destroyed it. It had been made into a ring that I had placed on my finger and…that is why my hand was rendered useless. By wearing the Horcrux I had placed a curse on myself and that eventually was going to kill me. That is why I pre-arranged with Snape to have me killed painlessly and so that way Snape could be the protector of the wand. Do you understand, Harry?"

Swallowing thickly, Harry nodded. It was so much to take in. He and Voldemort were both descended from a powerful line of sorcerers who had created powers beyond their comprehension. His father had had one of the Deathly Hallow items all along, which was now his. And Voldemort had been after the Elder Wand.

"But…if you destroyed the Resurrection Stone that you made into a ring, won't it be impossible to access the wand's powers?"

"The stone isn't needed to access the wand's powers, Harry. You only have to earn the wand by disarming Malfoy and using his wand to summon it. It is the only way to destroy the bond with Voldemort now. I didn't want you to do this because…I was hoping that no one would ever become keeper of that wand," Dumbledore's eyes darkened and his expression grew firm.

"Its powers are dangerous Harry. Its powers are so great it could corrupt anyone. I was in search of it once and it could've corrupted me and I realized my mistake, but it was too late because I had helped Grindelwald in discovering its whereabouts. You mustn't make the same mistake I did, Harry. Once you are the master of it you must keep it forever safe and don't use it."

Harry stood up a bit shakily and nodded. "I promise I won't. I only want to destroy the Horcrux inside me. It's the only way to be free from Voldemort and I have to do that at all costs. But I swear I'll protect it and keep it hidden. Because once I die, as long as no one knows I have it and doesn't disarm me, no one but me will be the keeper right? So then if I die the keeper, no one will ever be able to use it."

Dumbledore's face broke out in a sincere smile and he beamed proudly. "You are exactly right, Harry. That is my ultimate wish. It couldn't die with Snape, but it can die with you. I've known your capabilities for some time. And I know you can do this. Come back to me when you have young Malfoy's wand, Harry. And do it as soon as you can. There's no telling what Voldemort's plotting right now."

"I will," Harry nodded determinedly. "I'll go right now."

Dumbledore smiled at him and Harry gave him a half-smile back. He was nervous because he'd have to confront Malfoy and trick him. He didn't want to get back on Malfoy's bad side, but he had no choice. Harry left and immediately took off toward Draco's condo. It was only early afternoon by the time he reached Draco's place. He hoped the blond was home. Harry approached the door and knocked several times. When he didn't answer, Harry started to become extremely anxious. He was afraid that any minute Voldemort would take over his mind and it would all be over. Harry had no choice but to sit outside the condo and wait for Malfoy to come.

Impatiently, Harry paced around the front lawn waiting for some sign. An hour or so passed and still there was no sign of him. So Harry decided to use the same tracking spell from the Dark Arts book that he had used before to find Draco's place. This time Harry concentrated on Draco's presence and murmured the spell. The blue light surrounded his body and he apparated unexpectedly.

Harry suddenly found himself in Hogsmeade in front of a famous broom shop: Olgerbee's Firebolt Brooms. Since the Firebolt broom was the fastest broom in the world, as of yet, Olgerbee (some former Quidditch captain) decided to make a Firebolt series of brooms, which was selling faster than when the first Nimbus series of brooms came out. The newest one was apparently coming out soon called _Firebolt Blaze_. It was extraordinarily expensive, as all Firebolts still were. Harry remembered the only way he had gotten one was from Sirius, who had been very wealthy. Now that Harry had Sirius' inheritance, plus still plenty from his parents' vault, he could afford one but there were other pressing matters at the moment.

He walked into the broom store and saw many customers browsing old brooms and a charmed hologram of the Firebolt Blaze. Rather desperately, Harry hurried around the store searching for Malfoy. Not surprisingly, the blond was staring eagerly at the Firebolt Blaze hologram and examining its make-up.

"Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed quietly.

The blond wheeled around and Harry saw his familiar expression return. "Potter, I'm busy right now."

"I know, but it's urgent," Harry said. "Er, can we please talk outside."

"You can't just leave me in peace for a while, can you?" Malfoy snapped. "I'm not going to drop all my plans because of you!"

"Malfoy," Harry urged.

The blond turned his back on him and a terribly Slytherin thought came to Harry's mind. Malfoy continued to ignore him and went back to studying the broom. Harry inhaled deeply and slowly brought out his own wand.

"Malfoy, forgive me."

The Slytherin turned to him with furrowed eyebrows, but before he could say a word Harry whispered "expelliarmus." Malfoy's wand flew out of his jeans and landed in Harry's hand.

"Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed, as his face flushed with anger.

"I only need to borrow it! I'll give it back soon!" Harry said hurriedly.

Some other customers turned as they heard the argument. Malfoy, red and with fists clenched, came running toward him, but Harry apparated. He knew without his wand, Malfoy couldn't track him. He had apparated back to his place. He knew Malfoy would probably come to his place soon looking for him so he had to complete Dumbledore's request that day. Harry summoned his broom and his invisibility cloak and took off for Hogwarts again. When he knocked on the Headmistress' door, however, no one answered. Figuring McGonagall was still at the Ministry meeting, he snuck down to the second floor where the statue of the first Headmaster was. Once again he twisted the stone wand in the hand of the statue twice and then pressed the nose. The secret passage opened and Harry took off inside of it.

Once at the end where the phoenix engraving was, Harry tapped his wand three times on the phoenix's belly and the passage opened. The wall in the back of the Headmistress' office opened and Harry stepped out. He ran toward Dumbledore's portrait and saw that he was once again asleep. He figured that the portraits only woke up when people were around.

"Dumbledore!"

The portrait moved and Dumbledore's eyes opened again. "Harry."

"I got the wand," Harry said, holding up Malfoy's wand. "And my dad's invisibility cloak."

Dumbledore nodded, not seemingly happy. He was probably concerned about making Harry master of such a dangerous wand, but there seemed to be no other option.

"You will not need the invisibility cloak either, Harry. The three Deathly Hallows are not attached so they are not dependent on each other. I will tell you where it is, but you must be careful not to repeat it even to yourself once outside this room."

Harry nodded. "Alright."

"It is hidden in a secret space inside my tomb. I cannot say exactly how to open it now in case there are others listening," Dumbledore said quietly, probably referring to some of the portraits. "But there are clues in my notes, which I have hidden behind a wall in this office. Fawkes will lead you to it when you whistle to him this tune."

Dumbledore then proceeded to whistle and Harry repeated it. At first he had trouble getting any noise out for he had never had to whistle before. But after a few tries he finally got it and Dumbledore nodded his approval.

"Once you get hold of this wand, Harry, you must resist the temptation to use it directly. In order to successfully get rid of the Horcrux without being corrupted, you must make a clone of yourself magically and make the clone say the killing curse using the Elder Wand."

"A clone? But I've never done that before," Harry said. "Hold on, won't that kill me?"

"I'm quite sure it won't, Harry. My theory is that if Voldemort were to try to kill you, he would at first end up only destroying the Horcrux, because it has bonded to you and will protect your life. So the clone should only destroy the Horcrux, not you."

"But I still don't know how I'd make a clone…Wait! I think…in the Dark Arts book I have, I think there's a cloning charm. I could try that."

Dumbledore's expression turned to one of curiosity. Harry briefly told him about his studies in sorcery and about the book Draco gave him.

"That is a very rare book indeed, Harry. And a priceless heirloom. I'm surprised that Draco gave you something that special, which has no doubt been secretly passed down through his family."

Harry felt emotions of gratitude toward the blond, but he pushed them aside. "Yeah…so would that work?"

"I cannot say for sure, Harry, but I trust that you will pull through. Best of luck to you," Dumbledore said smiling.

Harry nodded and proceeded to go to Fawkes who was also asleep. Harry roused him from his sleep and whistled the tune. He didn't get it right the first time, but after the second Fawkes cawed and soared from his perch. Harry followed him to the wall beside the front door. There Fawkes tapped on a particular place and a couple slabs of cement moved aside to reveal a niche. Harry reached inside and pulled out a piece of parchment. Upon opening it, Harry realized it was a diagram of how to open the secret compartment in Dumbledore's coffin.

"Harry, you must burn the scrap afterward, just to be safe," Dumbledore said.

Harry turned to him and nodded. "I will. Thank you."

Smiling once more, Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. Harry stuffed the parchment in his jeans and left through the front door. He heard it lock behind him and then he took off down the stairs until he reached the front entrance. Once outside, he summoned his broom again and flew off toward the place where Dumbledore's funeral had been held. The winds had started to pick up as it was growing close to evening.

It was strange being there at the funeral place only there were no chairs and the tomb was now buried safely underground. Harry used the same spell that he had to dig up the clue for the Scale in order to remove the dirt in several large piles. He was careful not to disturb the tombstone. When he caught sight of the coffin he felt the sadness come over him again. Although he had just spoken to Dumbledore in the portrait, there was something too realistic about the coffin; it was proof Dumbledore was really gone despite a part of him remaining in the portrait.

Harry opened the coffin lid slowly because it was heavy and saw what he did not want to see: Dumbledore's dead body. Already the flesh had decayed and what was left of him were bones and the funeral robes that were on his body the day he was buried. Harry shakily took out the parchment and followed the instructions. Next to Dumbledore's bony right hand, there was supposedly a hole that Harry had to find. He moved his fingers all along the coffin until his finger got stuck in something. He pushed his finger inside all the way and a small _click_ sounded. Harry felt his breathing become shallow as he pulled his hand away. A slot right above Dumbledore's head opened and Harry saw something inside that reflected the light of the moon. He couldn't see it in its entirety, but he was certain it was what he was looking for.

Breathing deeply, Harry took the parchment with Dumbledore's notes and murmured "incendio" which disintegrated it. Harry stared into the dark niche, only being able to see a small piece of the object. He was still uncertain, but his fear about Voldemort being able to take over his mind made him take the next step.

Taking out Malfoy's wand, Harry murmured "Accio" (the summoning charm). The object flew out of the compartment and Harry caught it using his Quidditch reflexes. Holding it up, Harry stared at the wand—a wand with an unusual glimmer to it. It was long and thin but it felt comfortable in his hand. The material that it was made out of was not any type of wood Harry had seen before. It was polished so smoothly and Harry could feel the magic surging through it already. Even with his own wand, it had taken a couple of attempts before he could really feel the connection to it, but this wand…Harry had felt the warmth in his fingers instantly.

Harry blinked out of his daze and slowly put the wand safely in his pocket. Taking one last look at Dumbledore's body, Harry closed the lid gently. And then with his own wand piled the dirt neatly back over the coffin with the spell. The grass was a little disarrayed but Harry figured it was the best he could do.

Sighing, Harry jumped back onto his broom and took off back toward his place. Harry got there and spent the night studying the Dark Arts book, searching for that cloning spell he had passed by at some point. After nearly a half-hour of sifting through the pages, Harry found the spell. He murmured the words needed and pointed his wand into the empty space of his room. His wand jerked and sparked but nothing more happened.

For a couple hours Harry tried to accomplish the spell. After a while, he realized that in small print under the spell there was a note about the difficulty of the cloning spell. It read:

_The cloning spell is a highly unusual and difficult spell. It actually requires the use of a combined spell and charm. To duplicate oneself is more difficult than even changing one's appearance temporarily because the entire body has to be consumed equally in the magic and strongly enough to produce a copy. In order to accomplish this ability one would have to practice consistently. Like in apparation, there is the possibility of injuring oneself if the entire body isn't accurately affected by the spell. One must have complete concentration and be able to produce the spell powerfully enough and create a circle, first counter-clockwise then clockwise around the body. The spell must be spoken aloud as the circle is created. And once the circle is complete the charm then must be used immediately and with enough strength to combine with the outer circled spell and produce a bright pearl mist that will surround the body. One must then chant the spell until the clone is complete._

"This is going to take so much power and energy!" Harry exclaimed.

It was definitely the hardest thing he had come across. Harry took in several deep breaths before he tried it. Standing in the center of his room, away from his bed and bureau, Harry closed his eyes and meditated. Once his muscles became more relaxed, he spoke the spell aloud and made circle motions with his arm, pointing his wand around him. When he opened his eyes, he saw a soft blue circle surrounding him, but when he went to speak the charm the circle flickered and then died out. Harry felt his strength drain from trying to hold the circle in place and he stumbled a bit. He tried this a couple more times, but he couldn't get the circle to stay.

He became so frustrated he through his robe down on the bed. And that's when Malfoy's wand tumbled out of his robe and onto the floor. Harry stared at it and his lips parted in surprise. He had completely forgotten about returning Malfoy's wand to him.

Harry grabbed the wand and took off toward Malfoy's condo. It was already past nine at night and Harry was feeling tired, but he knew that Malfoy would need his wand. In fact, Harry was surprised that the blond hadn't come banging on his door. Harry flew down toward the condo when he approached and stopped cold. The front door was open half-way. Harry hesitantly approached the door and slid it open.

"Malfoy?" he called out.

Harry's heart was pounding and he felt fear consume him. Something didn't feel right. Malfoy wouldn't just leave his door open. Harry stepped inside hurriedly, hoping that Malfoy was alright. Harry's eyes widened when he saw the room in disarray. A table had been knocked over and there were scorch marks on the floor. Harry ran up the stairs toward Malfoy's bedroom. He burst into the room and saw that the bed was still made and nothing in the bedroom seemed touch. That meant that whatever had occurred in Malfoy's condo happened downstairs.

"No, no…it can't be Voldemort," Harry whispered aloud as he ran back down the stairs. "Malfoy, are you here?" he shouted.

There was no answer. Harry didn't know what to do. He was so afraid something bad had happened to Malfoy. How would he find Malfoy to see if he was alright? There was only one thing he could think of: he had to contact the Ministry. Harry flew all the way to the Ministry building and pounded on the doors when he got there. It was already getting later and there seemed to be no one there. Harry's last hope was that Headmistress McGonagall was still awake at Hogwarts.

Urgently, Harry knocked on the entrance doors. He was surprised when someone opened them pointing a wand in his face. It was an older man dressed in a professor's uniform. He had a short grey beard and glasses. His hazel eyes were sharp and gazed at him firmly. His hair was all grey with bits of black in it and he was only a couple inches taller than Harry.

"What are you doing? Are you a student here?"

"No, no, I'm not a student," Harry said. "I'm Harry Potter and I need to speak to the Headmistress."

The man's eyes widened and he lowered his wand. "Oh…Harry Potter! I'm sorry, I thought…well never mind. Come inside."

Harry followed him inside, having forgotten that September the first was in just a few days. McGonagall and the professors were probably all preparing for the new students. Harry hadn't seen anyone the last time he had come there, but it was probably because whatever professors were there might've been in their offices or in the Great Hall. He hadn't been aware of what month it was until that moment, being too preoccupied with Malfoy and his studies.

"I'm sorry to disturb you. I forgot that the new students will be coming soon."

"Don't worry, I was just afraid you were some former Death Eater or something," the man said, chuckling. "My name is Professor Ellwolk, Harry. I'm going to be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Oh, nice to meet you," Harry said, shaking his hand. "Er…by any chance…does the Ministry or Headmistress McGonagall know what happened to Severus Snape?"

"Hmm…that name sounds familiar."

"He was the last Dark Arts teacher and a former Death Eater."

Professor Ellwolk raised his eyebrows. "Ah yes, I think I remember. I vaguely remember reading about his disappearance in the Daily Prophet. I haven't heard anything more about him."

Harry nodded. Professor Ellwolk asked him general questions about his profession and goals, thankfully not asking him anything about Voldemort. They finally arrived at the Headmistress' office.

"Thank you," Harry said.

"My pleasure, Harry," he said smiling. "Perhaps I will see you again."

Harry smiled and nodded as the professor walked away. Harry knocked on McGonagall's door twice. He heard something from the other side and moments later he heard a voice.

"Who's there?"

"It's Harry," he answered.

There were footsteps and then the door opened. McGonagall gestured for him to come inside.

"Harry, what are you doing here so late?"

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "But I was just over at Malfoy's place trying to return something to him and it looks as though someone broke in. And when I went to the Ministry to report it no one was there!"

McGonagall looked surprised. "Well, I assume that everyone went home after the meeting. You said Malfoy's place, as in Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes," Harry said nodding. "And I'm afraid something bad happened, like…like Death Eaters or something! I don't know, but it didn't look good."

McGonagall sighed and took off her glasses. "Alright, Harry, I'll contact the Ministry by Owl and they'll look into it as soon as they can."

Harry felt his muscles tense. He didn't want to wait for answers. "Headmistress…I…," Harry hesitated, knowing he couldn't tell her about how he took Malfoy's wand or he'd have to tell her _why_. "When do you think they'll be able to look into it?"

"I'm not sure, Harry, but I promise you I'll send you an Owl when I've heard something," she said sincerely.

Harry wanted to say more, even suggest staying there until she heard back from them but he knew it'd do no good. He nodded to her.

"Thank you."

She smiled slightly and nodded back toward him. "Is there anything else?"

"Er…no, that's it."

Harry gave another nod and then he turned around. He hadn't been that far from the door in the first place, but he looked over his shoulder to see McGonagall heading over to her desk. He saw her pick up a piece of parchment and then he walked out. There was nothing more he could do. Harry went back out the front doors, taking his time. He got on his broom and headed to his apartment, feeling dread churning in his stomach. When he got home, he threw his broom down on the floor angrily. Then he slowly walked toward his bed and slumped onto it, lying on his back.

_What if former Death Eaters found him, or what if it was his Slytherin friends…Maybe they were mad at him for not hiding out with them. No, but…Malfoy didn't seem worried at all, but still! I took his wand! What if he was attacked or kidnapped or something and he couldn't defend himself! _

Harry turned over and punched his pillow several times. He hated worrying and he also hated feeling guilty. He was starting to think that maybe it was his fault. It could've just been a simple robber or maybe even just an animal, but the scorch marks…no, Harry was certain those were from a wand. Either that or a fire-breathing creature got into Malfoy's condo, which was very unlikely. And the blond had no way to defend himself from anything because Harry had taken his wand. A part of him knew he needed Malfoy's wand, but then another part of him kept saying: "If only I had returned his wand to him right after I got the Elder Wand, maybe nothing would've happened."

Still…maybe Malfoy was lucky. Maybe he was at a pub somewhere and hadn't come home yet. Perhaps whoever got into his condo hadn't gotten to Malfoy. And there was still a possibility that it was just some random thief who wasn't even looking for Malfoy, but that horrible sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach didn't soothe his worries. Harry tossed and turned unable to get to sleep the entire night.

By dawn, he was up pacing around waiting for some response from McGonagall. He was so concerned about Malfoy that he didn't even attempt to deal with the Elder Wand. By nine in the morning, Harry was so impatient and frustrated, consumed with worry and thoughts of finding out Malfoy was dead, that he had to fly around on his broom for a while. During his flight he nearly went through with his urge to fly to Hogwarts again, but he managed to force himself back home.

When Harry got back, he saw an Owl perched on top of his roof. Harry jumped off his broom quickly and the Owl swooped down toward him. It stuck out its leg and Harry took off the letter, trying not to be too hasty. The Owl was slightly annoyed and cocked its head, but didn't do much else. It was from McGonagall so Harry didn't have to pay it, but being so relieved Harry summoned some toast from his kitchen and gave it to the Owl. The grey and white Owl bent its head toward it and snatched the toast with its beak. Then it took off and Harry ripped open the letter as he stumbled into his apartment. The letter read:

_Dear Harry,_

_The Ministry has looked into Malfoy's condo and they have suspected foul play. The Ministry was contacted not too long ago by St. Mungo's. They have Mr. Malfoy in their custody. As far as we know, he was attacked and injured badly. The Ministry is still looking into the matter. Thank you for reporting it._

_Headmistress McGonagall_

Harry threw the letter down, grabbed his robe which had Malfoy's wand and the Elder Wand in it, and then took off by broom to St. Mungos. It was a longer broom ride than Harry wanted, but he finally got there and raced inside. When he approached the desk he told them he was a friend of Malfoy's and wanted to see him.

"I'm afraid he's in critical condition right now, but if you'll take a seat I'll get the doctor."

Harry wanted to argue with the woman, but he nodded and sat down. He attempted to remain calm, but knowing that Malfoy was attacked only made him feel nauseous. It was his fault…if Malfoy had had his wand he wouldn't have been injured. And if anything happened to Malfoy…

"Sir?"

Harry glanced up to see an older woman approaching him.

"Hi, I'm Doctor Chelke. I was told you are here to see Mr. Malfoy?"

"Yeah, I'm his friend," Harry said standing up. "Is he alright?"

"Well, he was injured badly and he's been unconscious the entire time. We've managed to stabilize his wounds but he'll need a while to recover. Also," she said flipping through her notes by waving her wand, "once he does recover consciousness he'll probably be too weak to care for himself. At least at first because his body needs to heal. I'm amazed that he survived such powerful hexes."

"What kind of hexes?" Harry asked, feeling his throat constrict.

She sighed heavily. "Well, definitely dark magic. A couple I think were attempted to try and control Mr. Malfoy, brainwash him, but it seemed that he fought them off, which weakened his body further. And the other injuries were probably from Mr. Malfoy attempting to escape. Anyway, I do have one concern. It says he has no family and as far as we know you're the only friend he has. You're the first and only to come looking for him and he'll need someone to look after him."

Harry nodded instantly. "Yeah, I'll do it."

Doctor Chelke smiled. "Alright. I'll need you to sign this parchment please. That way we know who's taking care of him."

Harry nodded and signed the charmed parchment. The woman's eyebrows rose as she read his signature.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter," she said, staring at him.

Harry smiled awkwardly and nodded. "Er, so, when will he be awake do you think?"

"Hopefully in just a few hours. You can wait or come back tomorrow if you'd like. He'll have to stay here at least another night or two before we can release him to you."

"That's fine. I'll wait," Harry said.

She nodded and then disappeared behind a door. Harry sat down reluctantly thankful that Malfoy was at least alive. Harry sat there for some time, reading Daily Prophet articles and gratefully taking St. Mungo's free water and charmed coffee, along with sandwiches, that were being distributed to those in the waiting room. Harry took the coffee, watching as it added milk and sugar as Harry thought about it. And then it stirred itself. He drank slowly, trying to think of what he'd say to Malfoy when he saw him. He felt so horrible for taking his wand and he was certain Malfoy wouldn't forgive him.

After a couple hours, Doctor Chelke came out again and she gestured for him to follow. Harry got up instantly and followed her into a back room. When they entered, Harry's stomach clenched at the sight of Malfoy on the bed. He was pale and had his arm and leg bandaged. There were a couple cuts on the side of his face and one that Harry could just barely see near his collar bone.

"He woke a few minutes ago but didn't stay awake. He's asleep right now and probably won't wake up for a while. You can visit with him for a few minutes but then I suggest you come back tomorrow. He should be awake by then. There are a few things you must know in order to look after him properly," she explained to him as Harry sat down in a seat by the bed.

"First off, he'll be too weak to walk so he'll be transported with you by St. Mungo's flying hospital car. He'll need to be put to bed right away and you'll have to help him with everything. For the first week or so you'll have to help feed him, especially giving him his healing potion every morning and night. The potion will prevent his body from needing to go to the bathroom until he is strong enough to stand, because moving him at all in the first week might make him worse. And of course contact us at any time if there are any problems or signs that his condition is worsening."

Harry nodded, feeling uneasy. He stared down at Malfoy who was breathing shallowly.

"Er, how is it he got here?"

"A couple found him unconscious in the street not far from his house. He couldn't have been strong enough to apparate so I think he probably had a secret passage that he escaped from. That explains why he got where he did and why his attacker was unable to kidnap him or kill him."

Harry nodded, swallowing. He stayed there for only five or so minutes, watching Malfoy breathe in and out slowly, and then he left. The rest of the day, Harry searched for a bigger place, something nice like Malfoy's condo. If he was going to take care of Malfoy for a while, he wanted the blond to be comfortable. Not only that, but if whoever attacked Malfoy knew where the blond lived, there was a chance that he could find out where Harry lived by going through Malfoy's things. If the person found Harry's confession to Malfoy then they'd be able to track where he lived eventually. For Malfoy's safety, Harry had to get a new place. He sold his old apartment when he had found a beautiful two-bedroom condo miles away. He purchased it and decided to give Malfoy the bigger room.

Once again, that night, he couldn't sleep and kept picturing Malfoy getting weaker. When morning finally came, Harry hurried back to St. Mungos. It was still early when he arrived, but he was surprised when the doctor told him Malfoy was awake. His heart was pounding so hard as Doctor Chelke led him to Malfoy's room. When she opened the door, Harry stepped inside. Malfoy was being fed a potion by one of the other nurses when Harry entered. After swallowing and looking quite uncomfortable, Malfoy's eyes moved and landed on Harry. Despite being weak, Harry could tell by Malfoy's eyes and his lips parting slightly that he was surprised to see Harry there.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm Doctor Chelke," she said, coming to stand in front of him. "I'm very glad to see you awake. Mr. Potter here has offered to care for you upon your release."

Malfoy's eyes darted from her back to Harry. The blond swallowed, looking as though it hurt, but said nothing. Harry wasn't sure if he could talk or not but he didn't seem to protest Harry taking care of him.

"Now I have to go over a few things with you about your condition," she explained. "You will need to stay in bed for at least two weeks. If everything goes well and you make sure not to move, after the first week you should be feeling stronger. The second week in bed is just as a safety measure. If your condition worsens you may not be able to walk permanently or it could result in death. That is why we must not take any chances. Do you understand?"

"…Yeah…," Malfoy said hoarsely.

His voice was barely there, but Malfoy could talk. He seemed to be in pain, but he was alive.

"Alright. I have to go check on a couple other patients. I have a hospital car already set up to take you with Mr. Potter tomorrow. I want to keep you one more night just to be careful. Excuse me."

With that she left Harry and Malfoy alone. Harry didn't move for a couple minutes, unsure of what Malfoy was feeling toward him. Finally, Harry approached the bed. Malfoy just stared at him seemingly too weak to really say anything. So Harry took the opportunity to sit down in the chair. One of them had to speak and since Malfoy couldn't it was up to Harry.

"Malfoy, er…I got a new place, one that's farther away and has up-to-date charm protections. You know, just in case whoever attacked you figures out where my old apartment is," Harry said quietly.

Malfoy swallowed slowly and just looked at him.

"Er, the Ministry is investigating what happened, but…do you know who attacked you?"

Malfoy winced and closed his eyes. Harry stared at him and he sensed that Malfoy did have an idea who attacked him, but for some reason he wasn't saying anything.

"Malfoy…they say your condition is very lucky from what was used on you."

The blond just breathed silently and Harry felt very awkward. A couple minutes later a nurse came in and helped Malfoy take sips of some beverage. The blond had a hard time swallowing, but he seemed to relax after he drank a few sips. The nurse smiled at Harry and then walked out. Malfoy kept his head rested on the pillow. He had been propped up in order to be fed things. Harry saw the blond's eyes open and Malfoy just stared ahead, not looking at Harry.

Shifting nervously in his seat, Harry sighed. "You know, I want you to know that I'm sorry for taking your wand. I'm sure that you wouldn't be in this situation if I had just remembered to give it back right away," Harry said quietly.

Malfoy blinked but he just stared ahead silently.

"You might not care for the reason, but I feel that I should tell you why I took your wand," Harry continued, staring at him. "Um…you know how I told you that you destroyed Voldemort's Horcrux inside me?"

The blond's eyes slowly turned toward him but Harry didn't look at him. He was looking at the bed as he spoke, feeling nervous and guilty.

"Apparently, it wasn't destroyed. It protected me from the curse, but…it's not gone. And that means that there's still a risk of Voldemort being able to take over my mind, so…anyway, I can't really talk about it here," Harry said, glancing around the room to make sure they were alone, "but your wand was the key to something very powerful that I needed to destroy this Horcrux. It's my only shot of being free from Voldemort so…I needed it."

"What…key?" Malfoy asked quietly, his voice still hoarse.

Harry was surprised and yet relieved to hear him speak. Whatever drink the nurse gave him seemed to soothe his throat.

"I…I can't say anything here," Harry repeated as he stared at him. "But I'll tell you tomorrow after we get to my new place."

Harry stared at Malfoy and he could see the curiosity in the blond's eyes. Malfoy's eyebrows were slightly furrowed, but otherwise he remained motionless. Before Harry could apologize again, the nurse came in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," she said smiling. "I'm afraid that Mr. Malfoy should get some rest if he's to be strong enough to be transported to the car tomorrow."

Harry nodded and stood up. He glanced at Malfoy once more before he left. The blond gazed at him briefly but then looked away. Harry went back to his new place and tried to get some rest. He managed to fall asleep for a few hours, but that was it.

The next day, Harry went to St. Mungos concerned about being Malfoy's care-taker. He didn't want to screw things up and make Malfoy worse. When he got there, Doctor Chelke told him Malfoy was just being given his morning potion. She gave Harry a stock of medicinal potions and he paid for it with his own money. The flying hospital car was there within an hour and Harry had to wait in the waiting room until they had safely transported Malfoy magically into the car. When Doctor Chelke came back out, Harry felt his muscles tense. She led him toward the car. It was a long car that held Malfoy in back, still lying on the bed. Harry sat in the passenger's seat up front. He directed the driver toward his new condo.

When they arrived at Harry's place, the driver opened the back doors and asked Harry to open the front door. He did so and the driver carefully levitated Malfoy out of the car. Very slowly, Malfoy was levitated through the front door and up to the bedroom. Harry had to run up and open the bedroom door as well. Once Malfoy was comfortably in the bed, the driver then nodded toward Harry and left. Closing the front door, Harry sighed heavily. He gazed up the stairs for a moment and then went up to check on Malfoy. The blond was positioned just like he was in the hospital so that it would easy for Harry to feed him and give him his potion.

Malfoy stared at him as he entered. The blond wasn't saying anything and Harry felt more awkward than ever.

"Do you want anything to eat?"

Malfoy exhaled gently. "No…," he said, still sounding hoarse.

Harry nodded and turned around.

"Potter…"

Surprised, Harry turned back around and approached him. Malfoy was staring at him.

"Are you going to tell me…about my wand?" he asked quietly, unable to talk any louder.

"Oh…," Harry said, approaching the bed. "I will, but…because I'm not supposed to tell anyone about this, under Dumbledore's orders, I think it'd be fair if we made a deal."

Malfoy's gaze darkened, but he remained silent.

"I'll tell you everything if you tell me who attacked you."

"I never said I knew," Malfoy said as his voice cracked.

Harry stepped closer. "Malfoy, I could tell that you knew. I don't know if it's someone who was a friend and maybe that's why you're trying to protect them, but they almost killed you. The doctor told me that whoever attacked you tried to brainwash you and then injured you when you tried to escape. If you hadn't escaped and been found by the couple, you might be dead right now."

"Yeah, no thanks to you," Malfoy retorted hoarsely.

Harry felt his stomach clench, but he didn't argue. "Look, don't do this for me then do it for yourself, Malfoy. If you let this person get away they'll continue to come after you. Trust me."

Malfoy was silent for a moment but he inhaled deeply. "It doesn't matter if I tell you, Potter. He's being protected."

"Who?" Harry asked as his eyebrows furrowed.

Malfoy stared at him with pursed lips and Harry thought for a second he wasn't going to talk. But Malfoy swallowed uneasily.

"It was Theodore."

Harry's eyes widened. "Your Slytherin friend."

"I wouldn't call him a friend," Malfoy drawled quietly. "I'm sure Pansy was the one to convince him to force me to come into hiding with them. Stupid bloody slut never could accept that I didn't want to be with her. I should've never gone to the dance with her…I only did so to keep up appearances because she was best friends with Daphne Greeengrass."

"Who's that?"

"The Greengrass' are one of the few remaining Pureblood families," Malfoy spoke quietly, stopping to swallow again. "My parents wanted me to marry her or her younger sister Astoria. They didn't care as long as I married a Pureblood. When Pansy found out she was furious and kept trying to seduce me to be with her. But I told her that I never wanted to be with her anyway and that I only went to the dance with her because Daphne had already been asked. I only used Pansy to get to know Daphne better because my parents wanted me to…"

Malfoy stopped talking and stared at him. He obviously hadn't realized how much he was saying. Probably because he was so weak, he had forgotten who he was talking to.

"Are you satisfied, Potter?" Malfoy asked.

Harry saw him wince and he stepped forward. "Yes, now stop talking otherwise you'll make yourself worse. I'll tell you everything, but first I'm going to write an Owl to McGonagall to tell her who was after you."

"Like that's going to matter," Malfoy said quietly. "Pansy's protecting Theodore and I'm sure her family's not going to let the Ministry find them."

Harry felt disappointment and anger surge through him. He couldn't understand why Pansy would treat Draco this way if she really liked him. He couldn't understand Slytherins. Suddenly, Harry had an idea. If he learned how to do the cloning spell, he could clone Draco and set up a trap for Theodore. And hopefully that way the Ministry could catch him.

"Actually, I have an idea of how to get them," Harry said aloud.

Malfoy stared at him and Harry turned and left the room. He wrote an Owl to the Ministry, telling him what Draco had said to him, and then he wrote a separate letter to Ron. Ron's dad, being in the Ministry, was his ticket to contacting them if his plan succeeded. He'd first set up the trap and then he'd have to have someone to contact right away. Ron's dad would be able to get the Ministry there in no time. He'd have to ask for his help without revealing anything more than wanting to catch former Death Eaters. After he sent the Owls out, he returned to the room where Malfoy was still waiting, watching him suspiciously.

"What plan, Potter?" he asked.

"Just a trap I'm going to set up for Theodore," Harry said. "Look, don't worry. Anyway, don't you want to know why I needed your wand?"

Malfoy pursed his lips again and seemed like he wanted to argue. Finally the blond's eyes narrowed. "Fine, Potter. Why the hell did you steal my wand?" he asked in a raspy voice.

"Alright," Harry said, approaching the bed. "Remember this is confidential so you can't tell anyone."

Malfoy just raised an eyebrow so Harry continued.

"Okay, er…have you ever heard the story about the Deathly Hallows?"

"Yeah, it's a myth," Malfoy said sarcastically, though weakly.

"No, it's not," Harry said, walking closer. "Dumbledore found the Elder Wand, Malfoy. And it was that wand that he took from Grindlewald back years ago when Dumbledore became famous in that battle. Grindlewald had stolen the Elder Wand from its creator. And Dumbledore had won it in that battle."

Malfoy's eyebrows furrowed. "If that were true, why wouldn't he have used it?"

"Because he didn't want Voldemort to know he had it. Voldemort was looking for it. And the person who disarms the master of the wand is the new owner of it."

Malfoy just stared at him and Harry gestured with his hands.

"Malfoy, _you_ were the owner of the Elder Wand."

The blond's eyes widened. "That's impossible, Potter."

"No, you disarmed Dumbledore, remember? That's why I needed to disarm you so that I could become the master of the wand in order to destroy the Horcrux inside me."

"So it belonged to me?" Malfoy asked roughly, raising his voice a little.

"Yes, but it's a dangerous wand, Malfoy. It can corrupt anyone who uses it. Dumbledore wanted Snape to be the master of it, which is why he asked Snape to kill him, but he had forgotten that you had disarmed him first. Trust me, Dumbledore didn't want either one of us to have it, but I need it in order to get rid of this Horcrux. It's my only shot."

Malfoy didn't appear too happy about it. "If this is true, where's the wand?"

Harry walked out of the room and came back with his robe. Malfoy watched him intently as he stuck his hand in the robe pocket and pulled out the Elder Wand. Malfoy stared at it for several minutes and Harry couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"It doesn't look like much," Malfoy said slowly.

"Well…it is and Dumbledore told me that it can't be used, not even by me."

"How are you going to destroy the Horcrux then?"

Harry sighed heavily. "I have to create a clone of myself and let the clone use the wand. It should have enough power to destroy the Horcrux and because it's a clone and not really me I won't be corrupted."

Malfoy seemed to have a hard time believing him. Harry shrugged and put the wand back inside his robe.

"I know it was unfair to disarm you like that, Malfoy, but you wouldn't have ever known about the wand anyway. It was hidden in a very special spot and only Dumbledore knew its whereabouts. Plus, it's too dangerous to use anyway. And I have to die with it so that no one will ever be able to be the owner. If I die naturally without ever being disarmed and by keeping it hidden, no one in the future will ever be able to use it. And hopefully that'll prevent any other Dark Lords in the future from becoming too powerful to beat."

Malfoy didn't respond and seemed to be struggling internally. Harry was certain he was disappointed in not being able to test out such a powerful wand.

"Listen, I have to go practice this cloning spell because Voldemort could attempt to take over my mind at any time. If you need anything, press this button," Harry said, summoning a magical button which he placed right by Malfoy's hand.

With that, Harry left the blond to rest. He figured he'd check on the blond every hour or so, whether or not Malfoy hit the button. Harry hoped that his plan in catching Theodore worked, because then Malfoy would be safe. However, first Harry had to effectively cast the cloning spell. His first priority was to make sure Voldemort couldn't use him. And then once he accomplished that he'd be able to use the cloning spell to help Malfoy.

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

**Author's Note****: One more chapter to go…**

To Reviewers: 

**Momo Yuki: **Aww, thanks!! I'm glad you liked the chapter! Good, I'm glad you're starting to understand Draco. I know he's been a mystery thus far, but he's changed now. There's only one chapter left now! Hehe, I'll update asap!

**HyperMint: **I'm sorry you've forgotten about it. It's hard to update consistently sometimes and college was just taking up most of my time. And I didn't want to rush through the chapters, you know? But it's almost over, one more chapter to go! I might write other Harry Potter stories, but as for right now I'm just finishing up old ones and the one-shot sequel to Captivation (Lux Hall). That's it for right now. I don't have time to do much else.

**Kai'sgrl: **Hey! Yep, it can be annoying! I hope you got your old job back! I'm really glad you like the games they played. That makes me happy! Hehe! Well, unfortunately for me I still have to take classes all summer long, but it's ok. I'm graduating from college this August and then I'll be working fulltime. Not much better than school, lol! Ah well, only one more chapter to go! And the sequel to Captivation should be posted pretty soon too! Thanks!

**Ghostly Shadow: **Thanks! Hehe, yeah I guess they should stop drinking. Well, the hints that I dropped through the story are to show that they use alcohol as an excuse, but they know what they're doing. It's not unwilling. It's just that Malfoy is having a hard time really adjusting to his new life, with his parents being dead and all his former friends in hiding and figuring out his own life and such that he has been drinking more than he probably should. But he's changing now! Yep, and they're not really awkward anymore because things have changed between them. Everything's coming together and there's only one more chapter left!

**Duzen Broken DreamZ: **Hehe, thanks! Yeah, sorry that took so long. My life is too hectic right now, but only one more chapter left! I promise not to let you wait too long!

**Penguin Girl: **Hey! Thanks! I'm glad you understand things better. I know, it's been a while so it's easy to forget a lot of details, especially when some of my chapters have a lot going on. Hehe! But there's only one more chapter to go and I won't make you wait too long! Well, the only stories in the Harry Potter realm as of right now are the one-shot sequel to Captivation (Lux Hall), which I'll hopefully post by the end of June, but check my profile for estimation updates for when it'll be up. And also other old Potter stories I have yet to complete. I don't really have time to write anything new, but hopefully in the near future! Thanks! I'm glad you like the long chapters, hehe! I'll update asap!


	24. Epilogue

Pure Rhapsody

**Pure Rhapsody **

_**WARNING: sexual content**_

**Epilogue: **

_It was so dark that Harry had to blink several times in order to see anything. He felt like he was standing on a hard surface, maybe rock or cement (he wasn't sure), but he could feel the coldness against his bare feet. He wondered why he had no shoes on. And why he felt cold. Raising his arms, he placed his hands on his body and felt that he had on his thin short-sleeve top and shorts, or boxers. He couldn't tell. Harry felt for his wand, but found he didn't have it. He tried to make out his surroundings, but all he could see were dark shadows around him. He took a step forward and then another. Maybe he'd find a light source if he kept walking. He took another step forward and suddenly lurched forward. Harry cried out and slipped, not realizing that his foot had fallen on air. His knee slammed to the ground and his upper body almost fell over the side but Harry grabbed onto the edges. _

_Harry scrambled backward away from the edge, feeling his way to make sure he didn't fall off. He stood back up and after a minute or two he caught his breath. Where the hell was he? There was a flash and Harry caught sight of something from a distance. A light of some sort. _

_"Hello?" Harry called out uncertainly. He hoped it was a person and not something else. _

_There was no answer. But the light kept coming closer and Harry squinted, trying to make out what it was. He didn't move for fear that he'd fall so he just stood there motionless. And suddenly from the darkness came a whisper. _

_"Lumos!"_

_The voice hissed it and suddenly Harry was blinded by light. He put a hand up to shield his eyes at first. The entire room, or cavern rather, was illuminated. It was a dark cavern with what looked like melted rocks, some of them charred and black. The cave ceiling rose up many feet but there was no opening. It was a slanted ceiling and everything around him was rock. He was standing on a tall rocky pillar and the pillar was in the middle of no where. There was a cliff only a few feet away that he could jump to, but the rocky cliff at the other end that seemed to lead to a tunnel was much too far to make the jump, at least without a wand to help levitate. And now Harry could see what was down below. It was a dark pool of water, at least a couple hundred feet down, but it was an eerie navy blue color and too murky to see what was beneath the surface. And parts of it bubbled and let off steam, as if it was boiling. _

_Harry had the urge to jump to the nearest cliff, but the figure approaching toward him, coming from the tunnel leading out to the cliff made him stop. It was a figure dressed in a black silk robe with a hood and seemed rather dirty, especially at the bottom. It was frayed and Harry felt goosebumps appear on his arms. _

_"Who are you?"_

_Harry was afraid to speak at all, but decided to in order to buy time. He had to figure out what was going on and where he was. Was he dreaming? _

_"Finally I've managed to get you here," the voice hissed. _

_And this time Harry recognized the voice. He stepped back but wobbled, glancing over his shoulder to make sure he didn't step back to far, but then quickly focused back on the looming figure. The figure was now at the edge of the cliff and Harry was trapped on the pillar. At least the pillar seemed steady enough and had enough standing room. The figure reached up its hands and Harry saw the pale bony hands and the long fingers and his heart pounded loudly. He searched around for an escape, but his eyes found none as the figure removed the hood. _

_Voldemort's luminous eyes gazed at him hungrily and his thin lips curled widely in a malicious grin. _

_"How foolish to think you could escape me forever, Potter," Voldemort hissed, pointing his wand at him. _

_Harry stood still with fear, knowing he was trapped. This couldn't be happening. _

_"To think I had you right where I wanted you and now I'm stuck here," Voldemort said, gesturing with his free hand. "This is only part of the terrain, Potter. I could have easily led you out toward the black pit or the miles of cliffs and muddy landscapes that have hungry parasites waiting to feed. Or any of the other places I've been to…I've learned much about parallel dimensions, Potter. How they keep people here, how they feed, how one cannot escape using magic. Even my powers here are useless to get me back! However, being as powerful as I am has kept me alive all this time. And now finally I have you, Potter. You are my escape!" Voldemort's eyes gazed at him hungrily, sending shivers up his spine._

_Harry swallowed and tried to remain calm, but both fists were clenched nervously. "I'm not really here," Harry said aloud, trying to sound more confident than he felt. _

_Voldemort's cold laughter echoed around him. "You're here enough for what I need."_

_Voldemort waved his wand and Harry thought the killing curse would come at him, but instead the pillar began to move. Harry was shaken as the pillar began to advance closer to where Voldemort was standing. _

_"You can't keep me here! This is only a dream!" Harry exclaimed, searching around as the top of the pillar broke off and began levitating toward the cliff. _

_"I don't intend to keep you here, Potter! I intend to use your body to free me from this prison!" Voldemort hissed pleasurably as his eyes glowed with rage. "Ever since you sent me here all I can do is think about what I would do to you when the time came."_

_Harry knew exactly what Voldemort was going to do. He tried to get off the pillar, but Voldemort levitated Harry's body up in the air and brought him toward the cliff. Harry struggled against the spell but was soon trapped on the cliff, lying down on the rocky surface. Voldemort paralyzed him with a spell and stood over him. Harry tried to move but couldn't. His heart was pounding and all he could think about was how Malfoy would be in danger if Harry didn't help him. Harry tried to think of a way to escape as he was forced to stare up into the merciless face of his arch nemesis. _

_Voldemort sneered as he stared down at him, lowering his wand since Harry couldn't move. _

_"Once I possess you I can escape this place," Voldemort hissed as he bent down. _

_"No!" Harry shouted, trying to move. "You can't! It's not really my body!"_

_Voldemort laughed as his face came closer to Harry's—much too close. And Voldemort was leaning over him. Harry's scar was throbbing, but it wasn't the intense pain he usually felt, probably because it was his spirit or an astral projection rather than his real body being there. _

_"It may not be your real body, Potter, but it's a way into your mind," Voldemort said, keeping his wand pointed at him in case he moved. "And once I've gotten into your mind, you're going to take me out of this place and soon I'll have control of your body. Once you're under my control I'll make sure you free me properly so that I may have my own body once again. And then I can torture and kill you like I should have before! I see Tristan failed me as well!" he hissed and Harry felt discomfort in his muscles as he fought to gain control. "No matter…once I return I will make sure that you pay dearly, Potter. I can't torture you now because you wouldn't feel much pain, not in your astral body, but soon, Potter…soon I will show you no mercy. And all the loved ones close to you will perish as well." _

_Harry stared up at him with wide eyes and Voldemort's lip-less mouth smiled at him as the red eyes came closer. _

_"Get away from me!" Harry shouted. _

_He heard Voldemort's cruel laugh and suddenly a cold hand was on his arm. Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry's chest and Harry felt pain and discomfort in his abdomen. He tried to squeeze his eyes shut—he tried to wake himself up, but it wasn't working. Voldemort removed his hand from Harry's arm and suddenly pressed it down into his stomach. Harry made a noise in the back of his throat as he felt the horrible pressure and looked down to see Voldemort's hand sinking into his stomach. _

_"Soon you will be under my control and nothing will stop me!" Voldemort hissed in his ear. "No body defeats Lord Voldemort, especially not an insolent boy!"_

_Harry tried to fight him off using his mind, but he wasn't sure how. Harry felt pain in his legs and he looked down in horror to find that Voldemort's legs were sinking into his. Despite that Voldemort was much taller and yet thinner, he vanished within Harry until there was only his upper half left. Harry felt his body trembling from the invasion and he tried so hard to think of ways to keep Voldemort out. He heard the cold laughter and Harry's eyes unwillingly locked into the blood-red eyes that had haunted him throughout his adolescence. _

_"Now it is almost complete! It is time to surrender to me, Potter! You may have been able to trick me before, but you cannot defeat me! Just as your precious mentor couldn't!" Voldemort exclaimed, laughing. _

_Harry saw the pale hand coming toward him and it pressed against his forehead roughly. Voldemort grabbed his hair and forced his head back. Voldemort was going to push his face into Harry's and once that happened Harry knew Voldemort would be completely inside, but he still couldn't move! Voldemort's eyes came closer and he heard the victorious laughter echoing around him. And suddenly there was so much pain. Harry cried out, feeling his forehead burn intensely. It burned so badly he was blinded by white light. Until he realized that his eyes were open and the light was all around him. He heard Voldemort's hiss and felt the harsh, weighing pressure in his body leave. _

_Voldemort's body came out of his and he saw the dark lord holding up a hand at the light and hissing in Parseltongue. Voldemort was thrown backward and Harry realized that the blinding light was coming from his forehead. It must've been coming from his scar and the light had blinded Voldemort. Harry jerked his body and found he could move. He rolled over and scraped his knees as he struggled to get to his feet. Voldemort hissed and lifted his wand toward Harry. Harry could see the desperation and the hunger for his blood in the crimson eyes glaring at him. Harry's eyes were wide as he stepped backward, reaching the end of the cliff. Voldemort came closer, ready to shoot another curse. _

_"There's no where for you to run, Potter! Sooner or later I'll find a way into your mind!" Voldemort screeched. "You will be stuck here with me until I do!"_

_Harry threw himself to the ground as the curse flew over his head. Voldemort was trying to pin him down again. And he knew that if he didn't get away now, Voldemort would pin him down again and eventually find a way past his scar and then it would be all over. _

_"YOU ARE MINE POTTER!" Voldemort hissed angrily. _

_Glancing over his shoulder briefly, Harry took a look at the murky water. He saw the curse coming at him and in a second Harry made his decision. He jumped backward off the cliff and he heard Voldemort's cry of fury. Harry fell, his hair whipping around him and he saw Voldemort rush to the edge, staring down at him with an open mouth and eyes scrunched with such a horrendous expression. And Voldemort pointed his wand toward him and Harry saw a jet of light coming at him. And he knew Voldemort was trying to get to him before he hit the water. He felt the wind lashing around him, heard the gurgling below and saw the jet of blue light headed for him, but unfortunately gravity was pulling him down fast. Voldemort had been seconds too late in shouting his spell. _

_Harry plummeted into the dark water and thought for sure it would eat away at his skin. Even as Harry opened his eyes underwater, seeing dark scaly bodies around him and hearing hungry hissing sounds, the water didn't harm him. It was bubbling on the surface and Harry turned his head and opened his mouth in shock as he saw a rotting corpse nearby in the mouth of a huge scaly beast with layers of sharp death. The body looked charred and eaten away and not just by the beast, but by the water too. It was like the skin had been peeled away by acid. The beast's eyes seemed to look straight through him. He heard the hiss and turned his head to the other side to see another long, almost fifty or so foot serpent-like body coming toward him. The head was like that of a dragon only the eyes were shaped differently and the pupils were slits like a serpent. There was a sharp fin on its back and the layers of teeth shone brightly as its large mouth opened. Harry squeezed his eyes shut, screaming underwater. _

Harry felt something hard and he lashed out with his hand. His hand collided with something else hard and Harry gasped. His eyes snapped open and he shot up, scared and on alert. Expecting to find Voldemort or some carnivorous serpent-dragon, Harry tensed but soon realized that he was on the floor. Looking around, he saw that he was in his bedroom. He scrambled to his feet unsteadily and felt perspiration dripping from his body. He had fallen asleep. He had fallen asleep and Voldemort had taken advantage of that. His arch nemesis had invaded his mind and brought Harry, or at least a part of him, to wherever it was Voldemort was trapped.

And Voldemort nearly took over him! If he had, Voldemort would've woken up in his body in the bedroom and soon would've found Malfoy, weak and helpless in the next room. Harry couldn't even think beyond that! He couldn't sleep until he had mastered the cloning spell and destroyed the link with Voldemort! Harry slowly walked out of his room, rubbing at his eyes and trying to calm his breathing and racing heart. He cautiously opened the guest room door and peered inside.

Malfoy was asleep in the bed, still half propped up and with his head to the side. He was breathing slowly but evenly. While he was still paler than usual, he didn't seem to be worsening. Harry had been caring for him for two days now, charming the food he gave to the blond to feed him since Malfoy was still too weak to feed himself. And the blond still had the button he could press whenever he needed anything. It seemed so far Malfoy had been sleeping for most of the two days. And Harry had been studying the cloning spell intensely. He must've exhausted himself and that was how he had fallen asleep.

Once Malfoy gained enough strength to talk and wasn't sleeping as much, he would no doubt want to talk about the Elder Wand. But first Harry had to deal with the cloning spell and get rid of the threat of Voldemort before it was too late. That was his first priority. After the cloning spell was through and the Horcrux was destroyed, Harry would take care of Theodore and hopefully any other threats against Malfoy and him too.

Harry went back to his room and dug through his bureau until he found an energizing potion. It was the last one. He gulped it down and felt the exhaustion slip away from his body. He had only a few hours before it wore off. The previous day he had been so close to making the clone successful. He had managed to get the charmed circle around him to stay and then a misty shadow had been called forth, but Harry had lost the energy to put more magic into the vapory cloud and soon it had vanished along with the circle. But he had been so close! And then…then he must've collapsed onto his bed out of exhaustion from nearly completing the most difficult magical creation.

However, he remembered how difficult it was to do a Patronus in his third year, but he had kept trying, even after he was ready to give up, because a Dementor had appeared again. This time, he just had to concentrate on how horrible it was to be in Voldemort's presence again and the fear of what would happen if he failed.

Harry found his wand on the floor and made some more room by moving his bed to the corner with a wave of his wand. This time, Harry decided to crouch down low toward the floor instead of standing. He wasn't sure if it would save energy, but it was worth a shot. Harry concentrated hard by shutting his eyes and murmuring the charm. As he slowly opened his eyes he moved his arms in the appropriate directions still chanting the charm over and over again. He wouldn't stop chanting it because it had to be done and it would be done right. It was his last shot. Harry circled his arm around his head and a dark blue light shot out of his wand and the bright circle began to illuminate the room as it appeared.

The circle surrounded him and Harry remained crouched in the center. He took several deep breaths as he held the wand steady waiting for the circle to become complete. There were sparks of blue power still coming out of his wand until the circle glowed brightly. It was as clear as the floor beneath him. Harry knew it was time. Holding his wand steady he slowly stood up and began chanting the spell necessary to complete the clone. After the blue sparks stopped coming out of his wand, he waved the wand around his body and a milky-colored mist came out of wand, encircling his body. Harry felt his arm tremble slightly, but Harry raised his wand up trying to keep it steady.

The milky-colored mist then soared away from his body about a few inches in front of him. It turned a darker grey and began to get a little thicker. Harry's arm trembled again and he felt the stiffness all the way down to his elbow. The misty blob floating in front of him was also surrounded by the circle. Harry's legs began to wobble and he slowly crouched down, trying to save energy. His eyes were so focused on the misty form in front of him, turning into a vapory shadow that he started seeing double. He blinked several times, inhaling deeply.

The vapory shadow began to grow larger and Harry concentrated on it. Although his arm was getting sore and tired again he kept his wand held firmly in place. He was trying to distract his mind from the pain by watching the vapory form grow and grow until it was a large oval shaped shadow. Harry clenched his jaw and felt his legs wobble until his knees hit the floor. But he kept his wand held up high. His hand was beginning to tremble now as well.

_I won't give up. I won't give up. _

Harry kept saying it over and over in his mind and kept his gaze on the vapory shadow that suddenly was taking on shape. Harry watched as dark blobs came out of the top of it, one on each side. And then at the end of one of the blobs Harry could make out what looked like fingers, and then a hand. Harry felt his neck stiffen and his arm began to go numb. Harry's knees ached as his weight was pressing heavily on them. And then he saw it—the outline of a body in front of him, still a dark milky shape. There was an arm now on both sides, with hands and fingers. Harry's grip nearly slipped on his wand but he clutched it for dear life.

Suddenly Harry cried out in pain as his scar burned like a hot iron. Harry's arm nearly dropped, but he forced it back up, squeezing his eyes shut from the pain. He breathed heavily through clenched teeth and then he was hearing whispering. There were threats in Parseltongue echoing through his ears and there was pain all over his body, but especially in his scar. And Harry knew it was Voldemort. He was sensing Harry's power and wanting him to not succeed. Harry struggled to open his eyes through the pain and he saw the vapory form. Its outlined body was shrinking slightly.

_NO! I won't go back! I won't let him win!_

Harry felt determination surge through him, but it wasn't enough to give him energy. So Harry shut his eyes, feeling his arm trembling violently and knowing that he couldn't hold on much longer. He imagined what it would be like to have power like Dumbledore, or like Merlin…and then he thought of Malfoy in the next room and all the dangers they faced, like with Mr. Diggory and the train wreck and the dragons…everything. Harry remembered how he had felt when he saw Malfoy lying in St. Mungo's barely breathing and rage consumed him. Harry's eyebrows furrowed and he was heaving for breath but he concentrated on that feeling. And then he thought back to where he had been with Voldemort, watching in terror as Voldemort tried to take over his astral body and get into his mind.

Harry's eyes snapped open and through the pounding pain in his scar he stared at the vapory form and wouldn't let his gaze wander. He then lifted his other hand and placed it on his wand arm to keep his arm raised steadily. Harry was still on his knees, feeling sweat dripping down the back of his neck and sides of his face. Harry's jaw was tight and his body was aching and his head felt like it had when Voldemort had tried to get into his head. And he concentrated on the anger—the anger of losing his parents, the devastation of losing Sirius, the shock and sadness of losing Dumbledore, the rage of nearly losing Malfoy to Theodore…all those emotions came surging forth. And the pain in his scar dulled, although there was still throbbing.

And Harry blinked and focused on the vapory form, which was taking on a more clear shape now. He held up his wand with both hands and watched as the transparent body became clearer. At first it seemed to have no insides or clothes and then it began to grow flesh. Its face was unclear until the swirling milky color began to dissipate, leaving in its place a short nose with a smooth rounded tip, a slightly pointed chin and then ears. Harry's body felt so heavy, but he kept his wand arm up, still holding it with his left arm. And then there was hair—black thick and messy hair that appeared. The skin was still transparent but began to fill in. And Harry watched with wonder as the same luminous green eyes that stared at him in the mirror came to life. It was as if he was staring at a floating, glowing version of himself.

The skin was still illuminating light, but it was no longer see-through. Harry could still hear the hissing, the cursing and the threats in Parseltongue in his head, but the pain wasn't so bad…it was weakening. And he kept thinking about all the sadness, anger and terror he had endured in his life and soon the figure of himself not too far away had clothes and began to slowly float toward the ground. But Harry wasn't through yet. A wand appeared out of vapor into the hand of the clone. The circle around him flickered as his arm began to tire and lower. With shaky arms, Harry raised it up again. The clone stared at him and Harry's mouth trembled as he opened it.

"Shoot…the…AHH!" Harry cried out as another burst of searing pain in his scar erupted. He stared at the clone, desperate for it not to vanish. "Shoot the…killing curse!" Harry spat out, feeling his lungs burning as he struggled to fight the pain throughout his body.

The clone raised its arm and Harry felt a flash of triumph. And then more pain. And the hissing voice.

"_I will spill your blood until you beg for mercy! I will kill you slowly until all your organs are on fire and until you breathe your last breath! No body defeats me! You will surrender!"_

Harry's wand arm was falling and the burning was coming back. Suddenly, Harry imagined Malfoy. He thought back to all the times they had fought and the times that they had been so close, touching…and the intimacy. A rush of emotions of both protection and caring filled him and the hissing voice screamed with fury and pain. The clone flickered but then became clear and said "Avada Kedavra!"

Harry watched the billowing and luminous green light heading toward him and Harry bit his lip hard to concentrate on that pain so his arm wouldn't collapse. The green light was so close to his face and Harry's eyes were wide, watching it with hope and fear. It erupted against his chest and the whole circle around him exploded with light. He heard crashing and a gust of horrendous wind pushed him off his feet. The light was such a harsh blinding white that Harry had to shut his eyes. He felt a harsh pain in his chest that became much more painful than the throbbing in his head. He couldn't see, he couldn't hear and there was light all around him and he was thrown backward.

There was a vague buzzing sound that seemed to be echoing through his head. Or at least he thought it was echoing. Feeling disoriented, Harry opened his eyes wondering if Ron's potion had exploded again. Harry blinked. Wait…he recognized his surroundings. It was his house, his condo. Why had he suddenly had a flashback to Hogwarts? He must've been confused. Harry struggled to lift his head up. What day was it? What time was it? Why was he on the floor?

For a minute, he panicked, wondering if something bad had happened. After he got half-way up to a sitting position, he saw the scorch marks in the floor. There was a circular scorch mark on the floor at least ten feet around. And then it hit him like a punch to the face. Voldemort, Malfoy, and the cloning spell. Had it worked? The last thing he remembered was being caught off guard by an explosion and then there was a blinding light. He must've been knocked down by the force, but how long was he out?

A sharp buzzing sound came and Harry jumped, startled. It beeped again and he realized it was coming from the door down the hall where Malfoy was sleeping. Harry got to his feet, swaying a bit, and stumbled weakly toward the door. He grabbed the knob and pushed on it, feeling his sore muscles strain to open the door. Upon opening the door, he saw Malfoy seated up in his bed with his finger on the button. The blond was still pale but he had a confused (and maybe also concerned) expression on his face.

"Potter, what the hell was that? Are you trying to blow up the bloody house?" Malfoy said.

His voice sounded stronger. Perhaps he was doing better.

"Er, sorry…I was doing the cloning spell. And…I don't know if it worked. I think it might have."

Malfoy took his hand away from the button and Harry could tell his muscles were more relaxed. He was relieved that nothing bad happened. But was he relieved that Harry was alright or was Malfoy relieved that he wasn't in any danger?

Harry put a hand up to his chest and waited. "I think the Horcrux is gone, but I'll only be certain after I sleep."

The blond's face scrunched with confusion. "Why?" he asked curiously.

Looking up into the blond's face, Harry stared into his silver-blue eyes and wondered if Voldemort ever sensed Harry's feelings about Malfoy.

"Well…I fell asleep right before I did the cloning spell and…," Harry paused. "Voldemort got to me."

Malfoy's eyes widened.

"My scar links me to him," Harry said, pressing a hand against his forehead. "And it's only because of the Horcrux. The scar was created when Voldemort accidentally made me a Horcrux, which is how he's able to get into my mind so easily. It's also how I could get into his to see what he was planning now and again," Harry explained as Malfoy stared at him, surprised. "And he got to me in my sleep and almost possessed me. He was trying to escape from the parallel dimension I sent him to. And that place…," Harry said shaking his head.

"It was…really strange. The feeling, the rocks, the water and those creatures under water. I mean, it's nothing like we have here. It's just so hard to imagine that there are other magical places other than our world."

There was silence and Harry could sense that Malfoy seemed intrigued by the information Harry got from the parallel dimension. But Harry also sensed fear.

"So…if you go to sleep what might happen?" Malfoy asked, glancing at him.

Harry sighed and walked over to the bed. "Hopefully I won't see Voldemort or sense him at all. Unfortunately, that could mean he's biding his time…but…I'm pretty certain he's so desperate to get out that if he were still able to get to me he'd definitely take the chance. I barely escaped from it earlier so my chances of escaping again are basically impossible. You know, if you want for your own safety, in case I didn't do the spell right, I could send you back to St. Mungo's."

Harry was reluctant to suggest it, because in case the spell _did_ work that would mean he wouldn't be around Malfoy anymore. And the likelihood of Malfoy just contacting him to hang out or talk about their unresolved issues was very small.

Malfoy stared up at him and Harry could see the uncertainty in his eyes. Harry couldn't sense what he wanted though. Slowly, Malfoy adjusted his position in the bed.

"How about this, Potter, since I don't feel like being moved around again," Malfoy finally spoke. "You put protection charms on your door to keep it locked and leave your wand with me. That way when you lock yourself in the room you won't have your wand to blast out of there, in case you're someone else," he added the last part quietly. "That way it'll give me time to call for St. Mungo's if necessary."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "Call for them?"

Malfoy gave him a look and rolled his eyes. "Yes, Potter. Wizards in emergency situations call for St. Mungos and one of their cars comes to get you."

"How long does it take for them to get to you?"

"About a minute, Potter. Once they hear a distress call they use their vehicles to trace the source and get to the person in a minute or two. It's called magic."

Harry gave him an annoyed look. "Ok, I get it. It's like the Knight Bus."

Malfoy just sighed heavily. "Go put all the charms you can on your door then give me your wand. And the Elder wand."

Harry gazed at him uncertainly.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Please, Potter. I'm not even strong enough to try to use any wand let alone try to get my hands on that one. But trust me, we're not done talking about this. So if you survive the night we'll be having a long discussion tomorrow."

Harry nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But if I'm alright how will I get out of my room? You can't use magic yet."

"Easy Potter, if you're fine I'll put your wand under the door."

Feeling uncertain, Harry nodded and went to charm his bedroom door. Harry didn't feel ready to face this. If it didn't work and he went back to that place…he knew he was as good as dead. Voldemort would possess him and take him back to the Ministry where he would find a way for Harry to release him. If he couldn't, he'd just use Harry's body—become him—forever and kill all his friends and eventually take over Hogwarts like he planned. The whole world would be in danger and he wasn't ready to face that. Then again, if he was possessed and Malfoy went to St. Mungo's then the word would eventually get out to the Ministry and perhaps they could stop him—or Voldemort rather—before anything bad happened.

The protections were finished and Harry slumped back toward Malfoy's room and slowly approached the bed. The Elder wand was now in his other hand as well. Malfoy's eyes glanced at the unknown wand and then back up to Harry's face.

"Set them on the bed and then you can go to bed. And don't forget to close your door shut so it'll lock and the charms won't be for nothing."

"I know," Harry said nervously. He felt like he should say something to Draco…like a goodbye in case something does happen.

Carefully, Harry laid his wand and the Elder wand on the bed. "I guess I was wrong."

One's of the blond's eyebrows rose in question.

"It's just…when I told Dumbledore that I had gotten the Elder wand he seemed so proud," Harry said, feeling awkward so he looked down at his hands. "And he said that it would be safe with me…that I would die with it and no one would ever be able to get their hands on such a powerful wand and now…"

Harry trailed off not knowing what else to say. He still felt awkward about opening up to Malfoy, especially since he still wasn't sure how the Slytherin felt about him. There had been an attraction between them, but not necessarily true feelings (at least maybe not on Malfoy's side).

"I'll take the Elder wand to the Ministry if you become possessed," Malfoy said.

Harry glanced up at him in surprise. He felt emotions swell inside of him and he swallowed.

"No, Malfoy. I want you to keep it."

The blond's lips parted and his eyes widened. Harry moved closer to the bed and pushed the two wands toward Malfoy's hand. Draco glanced down at the wands just barely touching his fingers and then he looked directly into Harry's eyes.

"If the Ministry ever found out the Elder wand was real…someone there could take it for themselves. An auror or even one of the possible Ministers going through the elections, anyone! And since it was yours before me…I feel it only right that if something happens to me that you keep it safe. You are the only other person besides me and Dumbledore who knows the whole story about it and how it's dangerous. Others won't know or won't care. That's why I think it'd be safer with you," Harry said, gazing back at him.

Their eyes stayed locked together and Harry felt his heart begin to beat faster. Harry tried not to concentrate on Malfoy's smooth, fair skin (although still slightly off-color) nor his blond bangs hovering just over his eyes. Malfoy stared back and Harry could see his blue eyes moving slightly and examining Harry's face, trying to figure out what he was thinking. Once Harry felt the urge to kiss the blond he pulled back and gave Malfoy a slightly nod before he walked out. He breathed deeply as he went to his room.

As he walked into the dark room, Harry put his hand on the knob and pushed it shut. It clicked and Harry saw the shimmer of the charms and protections and knew it was locked tight. Slowly, Harry made his way over to the bed. He didn't even bother to change and just lay down. He was so afraid of what might happen that he lay there for quite some time, unable to fall asleep.

However, a knocking sound came and Harry opened his eyes. He jerked up from the bed, looking around. There was light coming from his window. Was it possible that it was morning? Had he fallen asleep?

The knocking continued and Harry glanced at his door. It must've been Malfoy. The blond was out of bed. At least he was strong enough to walk a short ways down the hall.

"Malfoy, is it morning?" Harry asked, approaching the door.

"Yes," the blond answered.

Harry felt relief flood through him. "I didn't see Voldemort. And I feel fine. The spell must've worked."

He waited but the blond didn't respond right away. "Malfoy?"

"What's our secret, Potter?"

"What?" Harry asked confused.

"What's our secret?" Malfoy asked through the door.

Harry swallowed, realizing Malfoy wanted to make sure he wasn't Voldemort. "Er…we had sex."

Malfoy didn't respond right away and Harry felt awkward. "What else?"

"We…er…went to the Embervale Academy."

"What else?"

Harry licked his lips. "We have the Elder wand. I don't know, what more do you want me to say Malfoy?"

He waited for a reply and heard something. Then the tip of something poked through underneath the door. Harry bent down and pulled his wand. He then murmured counter spells and opened the door. Malfoy was standing just outside clutching the Elder wand. He was obviously still uncertain. Harry gave him a weak smile.

"Er, I'm ok, really."

"So you didn't…see him?" Malfoy asked quietly.

Harry shook his head. "I don't even remember falling asleep. I guess I really must've been exhausted."

"Memory loss could also mean possession," Malfoy said, looking at him nervously.

"No, I would know. My scar would be acting up, you know, bleeding or I'd be in a lot of pain, probably acting very different. I don't feel anything," Harry said, reaching up a hand to his scar. "I can't believe it. It actually worked."

Malfoy's fingers loosened on the Elder wand. "Fine. Now that we know it worked it's time to talk."

With that Malfoy slowly turned around and headed back to his room. Harry followed. They got to the blond's room and Malfoy carefully got back into bed.

"Er…I see you're walking ok. That's a good sign."

Malfoy glanced up at him once he was settled. "Don't change the subject Potter. I'm still pissed at you for disarming me like that and taking this wand."

The blond then examined the Elder wand for a second. Harry, still feeling tired and groggy, sat down at the end of the bed.

"So…what do you want to talk about? I mean…you know I can't really give it to you Malfoy. It has to die with me."

The blond gazed at him firmly. "I get it Potter," he drawled.

"Look," Harry said, scooting closer, "I know you'd like to feel what it's like to have a powerful wand, but it's not that simple. That wand is so powerful that it controls whoever owns it. That's why Dumbledore didn't even use it. He knew what it could do. He saw one of his good friends become corrupted by it. And Dumbledore had to kill him. It only causes destruction so it's not worth it."

"Spare me your speeches," Malfoy said, reaching out to set the Elder wand on the bureau by the bed. "I never said I was going to try to take it. I just want you to get it straight that if you ever trick me like that again I won't be so forgiving."

Harry felt his stomach loosen and he nodded. Malfoy looked like he was going to say something else, but Harry caught sight of something on the bureau near the wand.

"What's that?"

Malfoy glanced at it. "It's a letter. It came this morning like an hour before I knocked on your door. It's for you."

Harry glanced at him and then got up and went over to it. Upon opening it, he saw that it was a letter from Ron's dad agreeing to Harry's help and wanting to get together to talk it over.

"Malfoy, this is important," Harry said, folding the letter and pocketing it. "I have to go meet with Ron's dad. I can summon anything you might need right now, but I have to leave for a little while."

"I'm not a bloody child, Potter. I don't need you to baby-sit me. Just summon me some breakfast and a Butterbeer."

"Are you sure you should be drinking that stuff right now?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "I'm bloody fine Potter. And what's so urgent that you have to talk to Weasel's dad?"

Harry opened his mouth then closed it. Malfoy saw the nervous look on his face and the blond's expression darkened.

"Does this have to do with your plan to trick Theodore?"

Harry swallowed. "Yes, but I promise it's for your safety Draco."

The blond looked surprised but then covered it up. Anytime Harry called him by his first name, Malfoy seemed either uncertain or surprised. It was strange to him too but he rather liked it.

"Look, I promise I'll explain everything when I get back. This house is protected with charms so you should be safe, but call St. Mungo's if you need to."

"I get it Potter," Malfoy said, looking away. "Just go."

Harry nodded, feeling reluctant to leave the blond. He summoned breakfast and a Butterbeer for Malfoy and then he took off by broom to Ron's house. He didn't have any Floo powder so he had to fly there. It was about twenty minutes away, even with his new and fast broom. Once he arrived, Mrs. Weasley opened the door. She squealed in delight and suffocated Harry in a hug. Then she invited him inside.

"Would you like some breakfast, Harry dear?" she asked, gesturing him into the kitchen.

"Er, no thanks," Harry said, smiling. He was too anxious to eat.

In the kitchen, Harry saw Mr. Weasley eating breakfast. His hair wasn't combed yet and he appeared to have just woken up.

"Ah, Harry my boy, come in," Mr. Weasley said, smiling. "Ron's still asleep I'm afraid."

"It's alright," Harry said, sitting down across from Mr. Weasley.

"Would you like something to drink, Harry?" Mrs. Weasley cooed, brushing Harry's hair with her fingers. She was still so motherly to him and Harry felt comforted by that.

"Er, sure. Do you have any energizing potions?"

Mrs. Weasley looked at him in surprise. "Why, no, dear. Why would you need that?"

"I need to keep my energy up," Harry said, glancing at Mr. Weasley. "Er, to help Mr. Weasley."

Arthur's eyes widened and he seemed to get the hint. "Uh, Molly, why don't you just bring Harry some of that imported wizard tea. It's supposed to help energize."

Molly nodded. "Right away."

She waved her wand and tea poured itself in front of Harry. He took the cup, thanked Mrs. Weasley, and sipped it. It was tangy and warm and thankfully didn't make him feel sleepy. It was rather refreshing.

"Thanks Molly. I just need a word with Harry," Mr. Weasley said, smiling at her.

"Alright," she said, giving Arthur a kiss on the cheek. "You should visit more often, Harry. I'm sure Ron would love to see you."

Harry nodded. "I will."

Molly smiled and then disappeared, going back up the stairs. Arthur sighed and then turned to Harry.

"What's so urgent, Harry?"

"There are several Slytherins out there who still pose a threat. Their families are connected to Voldemort and I have a way of tricking them out of hiding," Harry said.

Mr. Weasley looked surprise and he swallowed. Then he leaned closer. "I assume you need the Ministry's help in catching them."

"Yes. I'll lure them out in a specific spot where the Ministry will be waiting secretly. Once given the sign the Ministry will come out and arrest them. You'll need to make an anti-apparation barrier though around the place first, but I can lure them out by myself."

"How are you going to do that?"

Harry sighed heavily. "Look, I don't have much time to explain, Mr. Weasley. I know who they're after."

"They're not after you are they?" Mr. Weasley asked, nearly dropping his fork.

"No, but they're after Draco Malfoy. I don't know if you heard about what happened…"

Mr. Weasley nodded. "Yes, I heard it from Caella who said she talked to Headmistress McGonagall. Is he ok?"

"Yes. I'm actually taking care of him right now, but please don't tell Ron. He won't take that well," Harry said quietly.

"But Harry…that boy could be a danger to you!" Mr. Weasley whispered harshly.

Harry shook his head. "He's not. I've done a lot of researching and it's a long story, but Draco Malfoy isn't anything like his parents. And he was attacked by other Slytherins because he wouldn't join with them."

Mr. Weasley turned a bit pale and set his fork down. "Merlin…And what Slytherin families are involved?"

"Pansy Parkinson's family and Theodore Nott's family," Harry said. "There could be others, but I'm planning to lure out Theodore. He's the one who attacked Malfoy in his condo. That's where we'll be and I'll set up a trap for Theodore there. And I'm certain once we catch Theodore he'll lead us to the others."

Harry explained the plan in detail, how he would go into the condo alone and how he would trick Theodore. Although Mr. Weasley didn't ask many questions, he seemed uncertain.

"Harry, I don't know if it's safe for you to go in there alone."

"Mr. Weasley, I know I can do this. It's the only way to get them out of hiding. If we don't, they could do something worse next time, or find a better hiding place. If we catch them all now there won't be any more threats to worry about. I know for certain now that Voldemort will never be able to come back."

Arthur choked on his milk and wiped his mouth. "You-Know-Who…he can't…you're sure?"

"Positive," Harry said nodding. "I talked with Dumbledore, er, his portrait at Hogwarts and we've stopped him from being able to come back. He's stuck in a parallel dimension for all eternity because he doesn't have the power to come back. And sooner or later he might even die. It's very dangerous there and the magic is different—it's like a whole different world. And there's so much about it we don't know or understand, but the important thing is that he's gone. And once we catch the rest of his supporters it'll be easier for there to be a smooth election."

Mr. Weasley's eyes widened. "Of course…they might attack on election day for the new Minister. Merlin, Harry, I didn't even consider that."

Harry waited, watching him. Finally Mr. Weasley nodded. "Ok. I'll alert Caella and other aurors, Harry. If you're sure you can do this."

Harry nodded. "It's our only shot. We've got to."

Mr. Weasley inhaled deeply and nodded. "Alright. I'll contact them immediately."

**XXXXX**

_A few hours later…_

Harry was crouched in the darkness behind the couch. Just being in Draco's condo brought back the memory of them sleeping together. It hadn't been that long ago…and they had both been drinking, but that time Malfoy hadn't denied it or told Harry he was disgusted. It had just told him not to make a big deal out of it. Perhaps that meant Malfoy was finally opening up to having a relationship with him.

Harry shook his head. He had to focus. That tea helped revived him a little, but if he didn't concentrate properly the plan could easily backfire. Harry's eyes narrowed as he thought about what Theodore did to Draco and he took several deep breaths. Then he murmured the same spell that had saved him from Voldemort. From behind the couch, a deep glow illuminated the living room and the charmed circle surrounded him. Harry concentrated hard, feeling his body trembling again. This time, he was prepared for all the sensations that he had to overcome. He realized that the second time around he wasn't in as much pain.

As he murmured the spell, another misty shadow flickered into the room by the couch. The circle reached out beyond the couch and Harry stared at the figure. He felt emotions stir as he saw a clear image of the silky blond hair and the bright silver-blue eyes. He tried not to falter as his legs became weak. The image of Draco became clearer until the misty clone stood in front of him. The circle around him glowed brightly and then slowly disintegrated, but Harry made sure to keep both hands on his wand to keep the clone of Draco from disappearing with it.

The magic should've alerted Theodore, if Harry's guess was right. He bet that Theodore and Pansy and them were keeping a close watch on Draco's place, probably hoping he'd come back there. And Harry was going to make sure that if they did, they'd pay dearly for what they had done to Malfoy. Harry waited almost painfully as he struggled to keep his wand held up. The clone of Draco stood there motionless, staring blankly ahead.

"Malfoy!" a voice hissed.

Harry's heart skipped a beat and he bit his lip. He had almost made a sound and at the same time his arm had jerked from being startled. The clone moved slightly because of Harry's arm movement, but very carefully, Harry gripped his elbow and moved the tip of his wand, making the clone turn around. A dark figure came from behind the staircase. Harry didn't know where he had apparated from, but he certainly hadn't sensed or heard him. As the figure came closer, Harry realized it was Theodore Nott only he had stubble growing on his face. It looked as though he had been in hiding quite some time. His eyes were alight with rage and something else…maybe fear.

"I didn't think you'd come back here. Unless…have you changed your mind?"

Harry realized he didn't know how to make the clone talk. His only option was to try to command the clone to speak. Harry thought about what to tell the clone and suddenly the clone's lips moved.

"Why?" the whispery voice echoed.

Harry was stunned. It was as if the clone had understood his thoughts.

Theodore's face darkened and he took a step closer. Harry saw he had his wand out and ready.

"You know why, Draco! Because you said you wanted nothing to do with Pansy, with us! I didn't want to hurt, but I warned you!" he hissed, sounding crazed. "There's not much of us left. Most of us were executed, like your parents and we're the only hope of getting revenge! You know how hard Pansy's family is working with the Greengrass family, the only Pureblood Slytherin family left that hasn't been caught, to find the Dark Lord! We have to undo what Potter did! But first, we need you! You're the one who knows where Potter is, right?"

"It's no use," Draco's clone said. "Voldemort is never coming back."

Theodore took several steps closer. "That's not true. He's invincible! He's immortal! He can't die! Why are you saying this? Are you afraid that he won't come back? Even if he doesn't, we can still make a new Death Eater group all together. We can continue the Dark Lord's work, Malfoy!"

"He's dead, Theodore, or hadn't you heard," Draco's clone whispered. "I overheard everything from the Ministry. There's no way to bring him back. He's trapped in a place where there's no return and only death. Even if he is immortal, he'll be stuck there forever."

"Don't believe what the bloody Ministry says!" Theodore hissed. "Either you come back with us or I'll have to take you by force! And I know you're still weak from those hexes I placed on you last time. I didn't expect you to be able to walk after all that, but you're definitely strong. And we need you on our team. So don't make me force you again!"

"You won't be doing anything to me again, Theodore." Harry made the clone say.

Theodore's gaze darkened and his lips curled with rage. He sent a hex flying toward the clone and it went right through it. Theodore's eyes widened with fear.

"You…are you a ghost?"

"Good guess," the clone said.

Theodore blinked, stunned. And Harry knew it was time to call in the Ministry. But first he had to get Theodore away.

"I have to tell you something important. Something about Voldemort—what he wanted," the clone said, walking toward the stairs. Theodore turned and Harry knew he had fell for the bait. Theodore's back was on the living room where Harry was hiding. Harry moved through the darkness, keeping his wand steady until he reached the window. Theodore's back was still turned.

"What? Tell me Draco!" Theodore hissed, clutching his wand tightly. "What did our lord want?"

Harry made the clone speak as he began to carefully open the window to throw out the signal. It was a smoke potion that would break once it hit the ground and release a blue smoke outside. If he kept Theodore distracted, the Slytherin wouldn't notice. And thankfully the anti-apparation was already set in around the condo.

"He wanted the Elder wand," the clone said.

Theodore's face scrunched in confusion. "The…Elder wand, like from the Deathly Hallows story? But that's just a myth!"

"Are you saying you know more than Voldemort?"

Theodore looked surprised at the challenge and his eyes narrowed. "No, of course not," he spat. "So…it's real?"

"Yes. And he knows of its location," the clone said, as Harry released the potion outside.

The blue smoke began to rise and Harry slowly shut the window and crept back toward his hiding place. Unfortunately, the movement made the clone flicker.

"Draco? Are you going away? What just happened?" Theodore asked quickly.

Harry sank behind the couch and held the wand steady. He couldn't hold the clone for much longer. He was tiring.

"Sorry…I can't…I'm too weak to keep my form," the clone said.

"What? What do you mean? Ghosts can't just vanish! Tell me where the Elder wand is!"

The clone stared silently and finally Harry made the clone take a step closer to Theodore. The Slytherin tightened his grip on his wand.

"It's in Voldemort's old house," the clone said.

"His old house? Where is that?"

"In a secret and protected area."

"How do I get in?"

Harry licked his lips, uncertain of how to answer that.

"You need the password, which I have."

"What is it? Tell me!"

The clone was silent and Theodore was getting anxious, looking around nervously. "Tell me, Draco!" he hissed.

"I'm already dead, what can you possibly do to me," the clone said. "I don't know if I can trust you with such valuable information."

"You can, you can trust me, I swear to our liege that—"

"Expelliarmus!"

Theodore's wand flew out of his hand. He wheeled around to see aurors appearing nearby and others entering. They were invisible as planned. Theodore fumbled with something in his pocket after he realized he couldn't apparate but he was paralyzed by a nearby auror who had remained invisible. Once Theodore fell to the ground unable to move, the auror appeared. It was Caella, the woman who had taken him and Draco to the train station. A supposedly very young, but powerful auror. Harry was familiar with her a bit and she seemed like a strong witch. In a way, she reminded him of Hermione.

"Give him Veritaserum."

Theodore was looking up at them with wide eyes. His eyes briefly went over to the clone of Draco who was standing there. Mr. Weasley came bounding in and looking around.

"Harry?"

Harry relaxed, bringing his arm down. The clone vanished and he came out from behind the couch and approached Caella and the others. Theodore stared at Harry and he could sense the Slytherin's shock. He hadn't seen Harry come from the couch luckily, because he was lying on his back.

"There's something in his pocket," Harry said Harry felt Theodore's rage and hate toward him, but he stared down at the Slytherin fearlessly. Harry summoned whatever it was from his pocket and it floated up into the air.

"Don't touch it," Caella said, staring at it as she approached Harry's side. "It could be a portkey."

Harry glanced at her. "It could lead to the others and their hiding places."

She nodded. "We'll go immediately. I'm sure they're expecting his return. You two, bring this one to the Ministry and get some answers out of him. We'll see if this ring will lead us to the others."

Two aurors nodded and took Theodore with them. Caella floated the item behind her to get to the others and Mr. Weasley approached Harry.

"Well done, Harry. I can't believe you can actually do that cloning spell! That's a sorcerer's skill!"

Harry smiled. "Well, that's what I want to be."

Mr. Weasley smiled and patted him on the back. "We'll take it from here, Harry. Thank you."

Harry nodded and after they said their goodbyes, Harry flew back to his place to make sure Malfoy was alright. At least once Theodore and the others were sucked dry with information, caught and put in Azkaban, Theodore would most likely tell Pansy and the others that Malfoy was a ghost, or at least dead because he had seen him as a ghost and saw that he had vanished. That was a good thing, because believing that Draco was dead meant his friends wouldn't even think about revenge toward the blond. Not that it necessarily mattered since they would soon be caught, hopefully, but it made Harry feel better.

He arrived at the condo and knocked on Malfoy's door. He didn't hear a reply and so he walked in. Malfoy was asleep, with his food tray still on the table by the bed—a table Harry summoned for him before he left. The Butterbeer was only half gone, but Harry was certain it had relaxed Malfoy enough to put him back to sleep. Harry realized that the covers weren't completely over the blond's body so he went to fix it. He approached Malfoy until he was practically face-to-face with him. He saw the deep slow rise of the blond's chest and carefully brought the sheet up around his body. Harry's fingers brushed against Malfoy's shoulder and the Slytherin's eyes opened.

Harry stared at him surprised and cleared his throat, pulling away. "Er, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

Malfoy adjusted his position, glancing down at the sheet and then back up at Harry. "What happened?"

"Theodore's with the Ministry now and we believe that he had a Portkey in his pocket that could lead to Pansy and any others hiding out. He mentioned the Greengrasses too."

"No surprise there," Malfoy drawled. "Is that it?"

"For right now. Mr. Weasley said he'd let me know if they found any more. He said they'll all be questioned with Veritaserum and then sent to Azkaban. They won't be executed though, unless of course they try anything else."

Malfoy nodded, and Harry saw him purse his lips. He could tell Malfoy was unsettled.

"Er, there's something you should know."

"What?" Malfoy asked curiously as he stared up at him.

"Theodore didn't know you were involved, or on our side or anything," Harry said and he saw Malfoy's jaw muscles relax. "In fact, he thinks you're dead."

The blond's eyebrows rose up and then he looked away. After a few minutes of silence, Harry realized Malfoy might need time to let it sink in that he really didn't have any friends anymore. But Harry was certain that he sensed Malfoy's gratitude in Theodore thinking he was dead.

"If you need anything, ring the button," Harry said. "I'm going to go rest."

The blond nodded silently and Harry went into his bedroom. He sighed heavily and undressed until he was in clean boxers and then lay down. He hoped all the other Slytherins in hiding would be captured. And hopefully soon Malfoy would be stronger. Harry figured he'd wait a few days, let the information sink in and wait for Malfoy to get healthier before he talked to the blond about something he had been meaning to ask. Harry was a little nervous to suggest it, but hopefully Malfoy would be open to it. He'd just have to wait and see.

**XXXXX**

_A week later…_

Malfoy had been getting stronger and stronger each day. He was walking around more, eating more and most of all still being a nuisance at times. He would purposefully make Harry bring him things too often each day. But there was something about Malfoy's attitude that was different. And Harry hoped he could figure out why. News had came from Mr. Weasley by owl a few days after Theodore's capture. The ring had been a Portkey and it had led to Pansy and the Greengrass daughters Daphne and Astoria. Soon their parents were discovered and all of them were questioned and sent to Azkaban. They allowed the Parkinson family to be in one cell and the Greengrass family to be in one cell. Theodore had his own cell, since his parents had been executed and he was seeking revenge for their deaths. He was definitely unsteady mentally and had attempted to kill other aurors earlier (they found out after he was questioned with Veritaserum), not just Malfoy. Other stray Slytherins in hiding that they picked up had their own cells, but overall it had been a success. The worst of the threats was out of the way.

It had been discovered that Theodore and Pansy were planning to get Draco to join with them because they figured that he knew where some illegal items were in the old Malfoy manor. And they also believed that perhaps Malfoy's parents had left something helpful hidden somewhere and they needed him to get into the Malfoy manor. Not only that, but Pansy was planning to secretly give Draco a love potion so he would marry her instead of Daphne, whom he was supposedly set up to marry back in Hogwarts by Malfoy's parents. There had apparently been an agreement and an exchange of gifts and money by Malfoy's parents and the Greengrass parents.

Harry didn't know if Draco was aware of this deal or not. It made sense, being since the Greengrass family and the Malfoys had been the only remaining Pureblood Slytherin families and now the Greengrass family was the only one, but they were locked up in Azkaban. And they were told that one false move and they would be executed. A deal was made that if they did nothing for five years and behaved, the families could go on permanent House Arrest. That would mean they would still have no wands and they would be monitored by the Ministry constantly, but would be able to live in a protected house instead of Azkaban.

The best news was that Harry was still sleeping and his scar hadn't acted up at all. He had had a couple nightmares about Voldemort getting him, but he had never returned to that awful place and always woke up safe in his bed. The Horcrux had been destroyed. Not only that, but Harry was getting much better at sorcery. Ever since he accomplished the difficult cloning spell, he had been much more proactive about studying Malfoy's family book and a couple other ancient parchments about Merlin and other studies. He did a lot of research about Merlin's prodigy, whom no body knew the name of, and other things. And he had a test with the Ministry coming up soon and he was quite confident they'd be impressed.

Harry got up that morning feeling much more relaxed than he had in a while. He was nervous about what he was going to ask Malfoy, but he thought it was a good time to bring it up. So he went to Malfoy's room and after knocking he entered. Malfoy was rummaging through a small fridge that he had requested Harry buy. It contained various flavors of Butterbeer. Harry wasn't at all surprised. Malfoy took a vanilla-flavored Butterbeer from the fridge and went to lie on the bed.

The blond took a sip and then stared at Harry. "Have you got my breakfast ready, Potter?"

"Yeah," Harry said, levitating the tray toward him.

It landed right across Malfoy's lap and the blond picked up the fork and smirked. "You know, Potter, I could get used to you being my House Elf."

Harry ignored the comment and approached the bed. "Actually…speaking of that, I have something to…to tell you."

Malfoy glanced up at him, pausing in his breakfast to stare at him. "Are you sending me back to St. Mungo's Potter because you're sick of bending at my every will?"

"No, no, that's not it," Harry said, stepping closer. "I…want you to know…er…"

He hesitated and looked away.

"Spit it out Potter," Malfoy insisted.

Harry gazed up at him and nodded. "Er, apparently you're healing well enough. And in about another week you should be fully healed, according to what Dr. Chelke said. But…I want you to know that even after you get better, if you want…you know, to stay here you can. I mean, this place is really protected and it would also save us both money to have a roommate. And if you needed help finding a job—"

"I don't need your pitiful help, Potter," Malfoy said, crossing his arms. "I'd be perfectly capable of getting a job on my own."

"I know…I just wanted you to know that I don't mind if you stay here," Harry said quickly.

Malfoy stared at him uncertainly. "And why's that Potter?"

Harry sighed. "Look…I'm only trying to be nice and telling you that you can stay here if you want or if you can't find another place, ok? You don't have to."

Harry was feeling rather embarrassed.

"Just think about it," Harry said gently. Then he turned around again and headed for the door.

"There will have to be rules, Potter," Malfoy spoke up quietly.

Harry turned around and Malfoy also turned to gaze at him. He crossed his arms again.

"If I live here I have the freedom of coming and going as I please and doing whatever I want."

Harry nodded. "Of course. It'd be half your place too. Er, I mean, you'd have to pay half the rent."

"I know that," Malfoy drawled, looking somewhere between confused and tired. "I'll stay because it's convenient, Potter."

Harry nodded. He didn't want to ask him again about whether or not he'd mind dating, but Harry decided to just give Malfoy time to think about it. He knew it was a very hard decision for Malfoy, especially because everything he experienced with Harry was so different from what he grew up with. It was a hard change. And it would be even harder for Malfoy to drop his defensive act and admit when he appreciated Harry's help. Harry wasn't even sure if Malfoy would ever come to terms with their intimacy.

Malfoy might continue to make excuses about that, or not address it at all, if anything did occur between them again. Or maybe there was hope that eventually Malfoy would stop making excuses and just allow the two of them to have a relationship. But Harry was certain it would take time. He was going to give Malfoy space, but at the same time Harry wasn't afraid to stand up for himself. If things didn't work out and they continued to be intimate and Malfoy wasn't showing signs of commitment, Harry would break it off.

Another couple of weeks passed by and Malfoy had fully recovered from the hexes. After the Ministry questioned Theodore, they knew exactly what hexes had been combined to produce such harmful results so they had a potion sent to Draco to make sure he was fully healed. The potion was specifically created to get rid of any remnants of the hexes. Malfoy had stayed even after he was able to function by himself again. Harry hadn't seen him a lot because the blond had been out searching for jobs.

Harry hadn't brought up the subject of them possibly figuring out a relationship, because he figured that Draco would come to him if he was interested. Frankly, Harry was confused at Draco's behavior. If the blond was purposefully being rude and seemingly ungrateful to test Harry's loyalty, why had he slept with him? Harry decided to forget worrying about the unanswered questions he had. He studied his sorcery materials, getting prepared for the test that was coming up. And once it got to be close to dinner, Harry took a shower, dressed in his pants pajamas (without boxers) and put on a loose t-shirt. Then he went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

While Harry was eating dinner and drinking a nice warm Butterbeer, Malfoy walked in the door.

"Lounging around like a hermit again, Potter?" Malfoy teased, opening the fridge. The blond took out a Butterbeer as well.

"I was studying all day, you know," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, did you have any luck finding a job?"

The blond took a large gulp of the Butterbeer and then smirked at him. "That's my business. But trust me, Potter, with my talent it isn't that hard."

Harry watched the blond walk upstairs and he had a feeling that Draco must've gotten a job. He wouldn't have been bragging about himself if he hadn't. Harry had gotten used to Malfoy's sarcasm. It was actually better than the blond's stubborn attitude like the entire time at Embervale when Harry kept saving him then confessed he was attracted to the blond and still Malfoy had barely changed and had only made him more frustrated. As Harry finished his dinner, about twenty minutes later Malfoy walked down the stairs. His hair was still wet and he had no shirt on. The blond wore very expensive pajama bottoms made from something akin to velvet, but Harry wasn't sure what magical material it was. But it was charmed to get thicker in the winter and thinner in the summer. And it looked velvety. That was what he knew.

Malfoy had obviously just gotten out of the shower and for some reason didn't take the time to dry off. There were still beads of water dripping from his hair onto his shoulders and slowly down his chest or back. Harry forced himself to not stare and distracted himself with sipping his Butterbeer. The blond took out another Butterbeer from the fridge, grabbed some food from the fridge (some left over fried dragon sandwich he had bought the previous day) and sat down at the table. Usually Malfoy ate up in his room, but for some reason he was eating at the table while Harry was there. It wasn't that they never spoke or interacted, but it was usually from a distance.

Harry wasn't desperate enough to invade Draco's space and he certainly wasn't going to initiate anything. In fact, Harry was about ready to give up on ever having a relationship with the blond, accepting that they had just had a fling, and move on and find someone else, but tonight was different. Malfoy was acting strange. He was wet, half naked and now seated at the same table as Harry. And as the Slytherin leaned back in his seat, allowing his muscular abdomen to flex, Harry wondered if Malfoy was doing it on purpose. Was he flaunting his body to show that he was in better shape because of whatever job offer he might've gotten (that he was probably going to rub in Harry's face sooner or later)? Or was the blond…

_No…I doubt he's trying to seduce me. I mean…maybe I am desperate. It's just, usually he stays out of my way, and I do the same, but now that he's happy about something, I don't know…it sort of seems like he's trying to show off his body. And we've had sex several times before this so…if it is a seduction that means he wants to try to make me initiate the first move. Or maybe this is all in my head!_

Harry inwardly sighed. Malfoy was too confusing sometimes. If the blond was in a very good mood it was plausible he wanted to do something beyond talking, but why wouldn't he go out to a bar? Why come back to the condo and perhaps try to seduce Harry? He hoped it wasn't because Draco thought Harry was easy. The only way to find out if he was imagining it or not was to pretend like he didn't notice and maybe subtly show signs. Harry was trying to think of an idea and adjusted his position in his chair, while pretending to be more concerned with eating dinner, but his knee bumped the table and his Butterbeer tipped over, splashing his shirt.

Harry jumped up, surprised as the front of his shirt was soaked in Butterbeer. He hadn't expected it and hadn't had time to use his wand. He picked the Butterbeer up, looking down at his stained shirt.

"Great job, Potter," Malfoy drawled, shaking his blond hair from his face. Droplets of water came down onto the floor and Harry pretended not to notice.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry said. He summoned napkins to clean up the spill then went to get a fresh Butterbeer.

As he grabbed the Butterbeer, glancing down at his shirt, an idea struck him. Harry hesitated before going back to the table and set his Butterbeer down. He was hoping Malfoy would say something so that way it wouldn't be obvious if he did what he was thinking of doing.

The blond smirked, after swallowing food. "You look ridiculous Potter. But it's a good look for you."

Harry inwardly felt victorious, but he just gave the blond an annoyed look. Then he casually took off his shirt, balled it up and threw it aside into the empty chair next to him. He glanced up to see Malfoy briefly staring at him, but he couldn't read the blond's expression. Harry drank some Butterbeer and pretended to concentrate on dinner.

"So, Potter, when are you going to tell your friends you're gay?"

Harry gazed up at him and saw the blond's smirk and how Malfoy raked his hand through his hair.

"I don't know. Whenever I feel like it. Why do you care?"

The blond shrugged. "I just want to see their reaction."

Harry gave him a look. "Well if I tell them anytime soon I'll be sure to let you know how they reacted."

Malfoy smirked again and took another sip of his Butterbeer. The blond moved in his seat and Harry could see that one side of his pants had slipped down and he could see part of his hip. Harry tried desperately not to allow his body to react. He wasn't wearing any boxers or anything beneath his pants so any arousal would be noticeable. Harry had to change the subject.

"So why are you so happy all of a sudden?" Harry asked bluntly. "Did you get a job offer or something?"

After setting his drink down, Malfoy adjusted his position again by propping up one leg on the chair and then he placed his hands behind his head.

"Actually, I did Potter."

"What'd you get?" Harry asked, ignoring the blond's bare chest and outline of his crotch which was more noticeable since he put up his leg.

"I got a Quidditch position on a very well known team, and no not the team you sent the letter to. A much better team that I got with my own skills which I showed in person," he said smugly as Harry raised an eyebrow. "And guess what position I got, Potter?"

Harry watched his smirk grow and then shrugged. "Seeker?"

"You got it, Potter. And I'm going to prove to the world that I'm the best Seeker there ever was, even better than the famous Harry Potter."

"First off, I doubt that anybody cares about Hogwart's Quidditch team. It wasn't a professional team. And second off, I really don't care because as much as I enjoy and respect Quidditch, my passion is in sorcery. So have fun with that career," Harry said standing up.

He really couldn't stay there any longer in case his body gave anything away. But at the same time, he really wanted to know if Malfoy was trying to subtly get Harry to make a move on him—to initiate more sex. Frankly, he didn't want to have sex with the blond again unless he was hopeful that Malfoy might want a relationship with him.

"Jealous Potter?" Malfoy asked smugly.

"No," Harry said, turning around.

Malfoy got up out of his chair and slowly approached him. Harry watched him but didn't move backward. The blond approached until they were inches apart.

"You sure, Potter?" Malfoy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Harry said, looking him in the eye. He swallowed and stared into Malfoy's face.

Malfoy finally crossed his arms over his chest and yet Harry was still feeling hotter than usual.

"So tell me Potter, how did you manage to trick Theodore?"

Harry blinked with surprise at the change of topic. "I used the cloning spell to make a clone copy of you. He must've had the place charmed with something that could sense magic because he came shortly after. That's why he thought you were dead. He thought the clone was your ghost."

Malfoy's smirk had faded and he stared into Harry's face firmly. Harry was feeling rather uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

"You know, Potter, I'm still trying to figure out why you even bothered catching Theodore?"

"Because he would've come after you again," Harry said.

"I don't need you to be my mother, Potter," Malfoy said, sounding bitter. "I can handle myself."

"Well maybe not all the time!" Harry exclaimed. "It's not like anyone can watch their own backs all day every day, Malfoy. Look, just because I helped you out so you'd be safe from Theodore doesn't mean you owe me anything if that's what you're worried about. It's not like I ever asked for anything in return _any_ of the times I saved you! I could've let you die when those beasts got to you, but I didn't! I risked my own safety to make sure you didn't die and on top of that I took care of you while you were on bed-rest, completely helpless, this whole time after your own Slytherin buddy attacked you! If you don't want me to help you anymore, fine! But stop denying that I saved you when I didn't have to!"

Harry wheeled around, once again frustrated by Malfoy's attitude.

"Why the hell did you save me, Potter?" Malfoy snapped. "From those beasts? Was it really because you didn't want me to die, or was it the fear that someone would find out you left me there?"

Harry stopped and turned back around.

"You have got to be bloody joking!" Harry shouted. "Haven't I shown you enough times that I'm sincere? I told you already a thousand times, but you're just not listening. I like you. I do nice things for people that I like. Is that simple enough for you? I wrote that confession and everything and saved your life and you're still asking me _why_?" Harry asked incredulously.

"People can say and do lots of things Potter," Malfoy exclaimed. "That doesn't mean anything."

Harry's eyes widened. It suddenly hit him. Malfoy was testing him…maybe he had been testing Harry's loyalty all along. Malfoy grew up in a household and environment of lies and cunning trickery. Of course words didn't mean anything to him. Malfoy didn't really know what truth was because his parents were always manipulating him and his friends were always telling lies. And the blond probably couldn't believe that Harry was really being sincere.

Perhaps everything Malfoy had done, from pretending he didn't owe Harry anything from Harry saving his life, to Harry's confession of liking him and Malfoy acting like a jerk, to even recently when Malfoy wanted to go separate ways before the Tristan incident and just forget about everything that happened. The blond had been struggling with whether or not Harry was being sincere and perhaps he had been purposefully acting stand-offish and like an arrogant jerk and didn't care in order to test Harry—to see if Harry was really being truthful.

Harry approached the blond and Malfoy still had his arms crossed. Harry walked until they were less than a foot apart. He gazed into Malfoy's face and the blond stared at him with furrowed eyebrows, looking uncertain and suspicious.

"I said that I didn't want you to leave me when we were out there and you were dying from the poison…because I didn't want you to die. Because I like you," Harry said softly. "And that's why I asked you to stay. If you don't believe me, you can find some Veritaserum and question me, I don't care. But I'm being sincere, Malfoy. I've always been honest. I haven't changed what I've said despite you acting like you didn't care that I saved you or confessed to liking you," Harry said. "But if you want me to prove it to you then I will."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Go on then, Potter."

Harry walked toward him and Malfoy began to uncross his arms, watching him suspiciously.

"Don't try anything funny Po—"

Harry wrapped his arms around the blond's neck and pressed their lips together. Malfoy tried to fight him by struggling, but Harry noticed the blond didn't even take out his wand. Harry just kept their lips pressed together, even though Malfoy wasn't initiating anything. Malfoy needed to know that Harry was being sincere. After some minutes of Harry keeping his lips pressed to Malfoy's rather harshly, he began to move his lips slowly over the blond's. Malfoy didn't seem to be fighting him.

Harry kept his eyes closed, knowing that if he were to pull away and open his eyes it might ruin the moment. He wasn't going to let go unless Malfoy forced him to. So he kissed the blond multiple times and soon he was lost in the feeling. Harry's body was reacting quickly.

Harry didn't even become aware that the other pair of lips against his was moving until sometime later. Harry's lips moved in an intimate rhythm and the lips beneath his were moving as well. Harry kept his arms wrapped securely around Malfoy's neck, not intending to let go. However, Harry allowed one hand to trail down Malfoy's back, pressing his palm to the blond's bare back. Soon their mouths were moving passionately over one another's and Harry couldn't get enough. It was so much better to feel it when not intoxicated. And knowing that neither one of them were drunk this time made him that much more excited.

Pressing his body up against Malfoy's, Harry inwardly groaned. Harry continued to kiss Malfoy as he began to caress the blond's back. He did this for some time and Harry didn't realize there was a hand on his own back until he felt fingers on his pants. Harry didn't open his eyes, but was very aware of the rush of cool air that hit him as his pants easily crumpled at his feet. He was wearing nothing underneath that and he could feel his arousal and his naked body as the cool air touched his skin. And Harry realized that he was still in his kitchen.

Suddenly, Harry felt his body being led backward until his back hit something hard. He was pretty sure it was the counter by the sink. Harry led the hand that was on Malfoy's back down to the blond's silk pants and tugged on them. They slowly came off Malfoy's hips and the blond moved his body, helping so the material slid off his body. Harry realized though that Malfoy had boxers underneath. Harry didn't even have much time to think about going for the blond's boxers as he was pushed harder up against the counter. He felt a hand on his leg and Harry tightened his grip around Malfoy's neck as his leg was lifted up. He knew to wrap it around Malfoy's waist as the blond guided it there. Harry's fingers slid down Malfoy's back toward the boxers and soon realized the boxers weren't there anymore. His fingers slid across Malfoy's bare hip and part of his rear.

The blond released a groan and Harry's leg was lifted up even as his back was shoved completely against the counter. Harry almost lost the rhythm of their kiss when he felt Malfoy's arousal at his entrance. The blond began easing himself inside without much warning and Harry tensed, feeling a slight throb of pain. The hand on Malfoy's hip tightened and Harry felt Malfoy's hand on the back of his thigh. And then there was pleasure as Malfoy went completely inside him. Harry groaned as he felt the blond move in, pushing Harry against the cold granite of the counter and then pulled back out. There were so many more sensations that Harry felt being sober: he could smell Draco's shampoo, his skin, and could feel the perspiration on the blond's skin as it became more moist with each thrust. And then there was the pleasure…

Harry instinctively slipped his tongue between Malfoy's lips as he felt his stomach quiver as the waves of pleasure came over him. It felt so good each time Malfoy came back in. Despite that Harry's back was constantly hitting against the counter, Harry had never felt so excited. It wasn't just the sex itself, but being aware and he and Draco were being intimate, and they were sober, and both naked in the kitchen…all of it was rushing through his head as Malfoy moved his hips, thrusting in and out.

As Malfoy continued to rock his hips forward, and Harry breathed heavily, groaning softly every now and again, Harry's back started to get a little sore. He thought about how nice it would be to lie on something soft. He grasped onto Draco tightly and suddenly they vanished from the kitchen. They reappeared upstairs, landing on Malfoy's bed. Malfoy released a deep groan and Harry thought perhaps that would make him stop, but the blond grabbed Harry's leg again and he wrapped it around Malfoy's waist. In less than a second, Malfoy was rocking in and out, gripping his legs while moving atop him. And Harry moaned with pleasure, feeling sweat trickle at the back of his neck. He could feel the soft sheets beneath his back as Malfoy continued to thrust. Harry soon wrapped both legs around the blond's waist, feeling the blond's back muscles move tightly with each thrust.

Harry's lips trailed up the blond's neck and toward his ear. Harry's fingers also slid up Malfoy's back and the blond groaned softly and pressed his body more firmly on Harry's. Harry's lips kissed the blond's face gently and sought out his lips. The second their lips touched, Malfoy parted his and slid his tongue into Harry's mouth, caressing his as he grasped Harry's leg tighter. The angle changed and Harry's neck strained backward as he felt his entire body quiver from the pleasure. He felt his excitement build until he thought he couldn't take it anymore. Their tongues clashed and Malfoy kept firm hold of his thigh as the thrusting became harder and soon the bed was rocking with the rhythm. Harry let out a gasp and then a groan as he felt his climax. Malfoy followed soon after and groaned by Harry's ear as he released his orgasm.

After a moment, Malfoy slid off from on top of him and collapsed onto the bed. Harry breathed deeply and finally opened his eyes. He turned his head just to make sure that he hadn't imagined anything. Malfoy's eyes were still closed but his face was flushed and his chest was heaving up and down. It was the first time they had really had sex sober. Harry didn't know how Malfoy was going to react, but he felt this proved that Malfoy was attracted to him. Now he felt he understood more of how Draco felt and why he had acted so frustratingly stubborn. He was testing Harry because the blond had never known anything but lies and manipulation.

It was a tense few moments but Harry heard Malfoy move eventually. Harry shut his eyes, breathing heavily as he waited.

"Potter?" he heard the blond's harsh voice near him.

Harry opened his eyes and turned his head. "What?"

Malfoy stared at him. His hair was still wet from sweat so it clung to his forehead messily and his cheeks were still slightly pink. He was still breathing deeply and his body was uncovered, like Harry's. Harry just stared at him without revealing any emotion on his face. If Malfoy started an argument Harry would just assume it was pointless to try to start a relationship with him. And if he made any excuses, Harry would have to accept that Malfoy would probably never admit to being attracted to him. He was prepared for the worst.

"If you even think about telling your friends any of this," Malfoy warned, without finishing the threat.

He didn't say it in his usual hate-tone and Harry just stared at him in confusion. Slowly, he got up and leaned on his elbow.

"Malfoy, if I had wanted to tell my friends, don't you think I would have by now?" Harry said. "Besides, I'm still even afraid to tell them I'm gay let alone that I've had sex with you."

"Good, Potter. And as long as they never find out about it, I won't have to hurt you," Draco said, staring at him.

Harry realized that this was a start. Malfoy wasn't throwing him out of his room or saying how disgusted he was or saying that it was all Harry's fault. At least this time, there was no denial of what they had done. And while Malfoy didn't exactly admit he was attracted to Harry, he certainly wasn't going to argue.

"Trust me. I don't want them to know," Harry said honestly.

"That makes two of us," Malfoy said, lying down.

Harry watched the blond get up and go into the bathroom. He lay there wondering if it was really possible that they hadn't gotten into an argument. And Malfoy had seemed to accept that they had had sex, sober no less. Perhaps there was hope after all.

**XXXXX**

_Five months later…_

The Weasley home was bustling with people, being since it was Christmas Eve. Harry managed to squeeze past Charlie and his wife, Cassandra, in order to find his friends. The table was laid out with Mrs. Weasley's feast of turkey, filleted dragon meat, mashed pumpkin potatoes, among all the other delicious foods she made. There were many different drinks and tons of people were there to celebrate. Ron was with his girlfriend Almira (from Ravenclaw, who he had been going out with almost eight months now) and Hermione was there (her boyfriend was on a trip with his family and couldn't make it) and Ginny was there with her boyfriend Cyrus. It made Harry feel almost disappointed at night being able to bring Draco, although he knew what chaos that would create.

Malfoy had decided to stay home and although they weren't exactly a couple—for Draco never admitted to being in a relationship—they had been living together for a while now. And though they didn't go out on official dates, they normally ate dinner together at the house and Malfoy wasn't shy about having sex regularly either. Harry didn't complain; he knew it would take a long time for Malfoy to come around and the fact that Malfoy was still living with him and acting decent to him told him enough. It wasn't perfect, but he couldn't expect that.

Bill, Charlie, and even Percy (who still hadn't gained all of his memories back and probably never would) were there. Bill and his fiancé Cecelia were due to be married the next spring. Harry was of course invited. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had never looked happier. At least Hermione's boyfriend was absent so she was technically single like Harry. It comforted him slightly. It made him slightly envious that everyone had to think he was single because he couldn't tell them the truth. At least not yet…not for a long time.

There were others there that Harry knew, such as Remus and Tonks and some aurors that Harry had met. Hermione's parents were there along with parents of Almira, Cassandra and Cecelia. Altogether, it was quite a large celebration. Harry saw Hermione waving to him and he went over and sat down next to her.

"Alright everyone we can begin eating!" Mrs. Weasley announced. "And then we'll have dessert and give presents! Just remember not to open them until tomorrow," she said smiling brightly.

Everyone cheered and Harry smiled, feeling grateful that he had people to call his family. Fred and George were of course still up to no good. They were planning to expand their joke shop and go world-wide. Fred had a girlfriend with him, but George had just recently broken up with his so he was content to stuff his face with food and Butterbeer to forget. They still joked around like old times though. Hermione actually pulled out a fake eyeball from her plate, which Fred and George had planted earlier, and screamed loudly. Instead of being scolded, everyone just laughed it off including Mrs. Weasley. Although she did send warning looks down to the two twins.

Harry was happy to catch up with Remus, since he hadn't seen the older man in a long time. And he secretly told Remus about what occurred with Dumbledore and Voldemort and how everything worked out alright.

"I'm grateful you're alright, Harry," Remus smiled, putting a hand on Harry's head. "I'm sure your parents and Sirius are watching out for you."

Harry smiled weakly and nodded, not really wanting to think about Sirius or his parents. It didn't get him down too much. After they ate a lot of good food, there was a coffee and tea break before dessert and presents were to be served. Harry took that opportunity to whisper to Ron and Hermione that he needed to see them upstairs in a secluded room. They all got away and went upstairs to Ron's room.

"This is so exciting, huh? I can't believe you're going to move out on your own Ron," Hermione said as they shut the door.

"Er, yeah…I figure it'd be nice so I don't always have to go over to Almira's place. And you know, she might move in with me at some point," he said as the tips of his ears turned red.

Hermione smiled brightly. "I see. So what about you, Harry? Anyone special?"

"Er…actually that's what I need to talk to you about."

"There's someone?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Er…sort of, but it's not about the person more than…well, just something I have to tell you."

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. Ron looked more uneasy than she did.

"It's not like…a vampire girl or anything, right?" he said, looking queasy.

"What? No, no, nothing like that, it's just…," Harry hesitated, looking up at them. "Er…it's about my, you know, preference."

Hermione's eyes widened and Ron just stared at him confused.

"Huh?" Ron asked, bewildered.

"You mean, you're…," Hermione trailed off.

Harry nodded slowly. "Yeah. I'm…er, gay."

Ron's eyes practically bulged out of his head. "You're…into blokes?" he asked hoarsely.

"Er, yeah," Harry said, looking uncomfortable. "Look, I know it's a shock. Trust me, it's a shock to me too."

"When? I mean…you never said…," Hermione trailed off.

"I know. I mean, I found out recently. It was when I went to the Embervale academy," Harry said without thinking.

He suddenly realized what he said and prayed that Hermione wasn't smart enough to guess. Hermione's eyes widened and her mouth opened into an 'o' shape.

"So that's why you didn't write much. It's because you found a…someone there, right?" she asked.

Harry licked his lips nervously and nodded. "Er, right."

"Oh good. I thought maybe something had gone on with you and Malfoy."

Harry's heart skipped a beat. "Er…gone on?" he asked.

"Yes, I was worried you two had started fighting again or causing trouble, but it was because you were dating someone!"

"Yeah…that's right," Harry lied. "Anyway, I thought it was time you two knew."

"I can't believe it," Ron whispered loudly. "I mean…I never thought you'd…I just…with Quidditch and everything…"

"Oh Ron, that's so stereotypical!" Hermione exclaimed, hitting him on the arm. She blushed and then cleared her throat. "Well…whoever he is, Harry, I'm happy for you. Really, you don't have to be afraid to tell us these things. We're your friends."

She gave Ron a look and he just nodded reluctantly. Harry could tell Ron wasn't taking the news as lightly.

"So…er…how come he's not here?" Ron asked uncertainly.

"Oh, well, it's nothing serious right now. I'm just dating someone, that's all," Harry said, waving it away. "Anyway, that's what I wanted to tell you."

Ron and Hermione both nodded and Hermione gave him a smile of acceptance. Ron looked like he had swallowed the eyeball from Hermione's plate, but Harry hoped eventually Ron would be comfortable with it.

"Let's go down for some dessert ok. And uh, Harry, you can tell us how your sorcery is going," Hermione said.

Harry was grateful that she was able to take care of the awkward silence and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. They went back downstairs and while Ron still appeared unsettled by the news, giving that he began chugging down a Butterbeer when they got back to the table, he quickly forgot it once his mom's famous double chocolate fizzing cake came floating out onto the table. That and Butterbeer, tea and coffee was being passed around. It felt good to finally have revealed something to his friends. At least they didn't suspect Malfoy was involved in any way.

During dessert, Ron looked at Harry and then looked away uneasily. But finally he leaned over toward him.

"Er, Harry, is it true that Malfoy is going to be on the French professional Quidditch team?"

"I think so, yeah," Harry said, glancing up at him.

Ron turned slightly green and then sat back in his chair, murmuring something inaudible. Hermione just shook her head and took a bite of her cake.

"So Harry my boy, tell us about your sorcery studies!" Mr. Weasley said loudly.

"Yeah, how bloody awesome is it? Can you turn cement to dust or blow someone's head off with one shot?" Fred asked.

Mrs. Weasley gave him a stern look, but many people around them laughed. Harry smiled and shrugged.

"Well, I passed my sorcery test so I'm an official sorcerer. Now I just have to keep up with my studies."

"That'll be so cool! Especially if another war starts coming around. All we'd have to do is send you out there and you'd kill them all in one blow!" George exclaimed.

Harry laughed and shook his head. "I don't think I'm that good yet."

The party went on for a while and Harry found out that Hermione's new job was working with muggle-born wizards and witches and helping them transition into magic. She traveled to do that job too, going to different parts of the world. And she enjoyed it a lot. Ginny had decided that she still enjoyed writing. And although she too was still living at home, she hoped to get a place with Cyrus in the next year. Mrs. Weasley was skeptical about it, probably since Ginny was the only female and she was the youngest, but everyone seemed to be doing good. Ron too was in a Quidditch program on a team, but he hadn't made it to the professional league yet. That was part of the reason Ron was probably upset that Malfoy got onto a professional team before he did. It would definitely be a war match if Ron ever did get onto a professional team and his team fought Malfoy's. That would be a very unique match…

After dessert and presents being exchanged, Harry said goodnight to all his friends and thanked Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and also gave Remus and Tonks a hug goodbye and promised to keep in touch.

"Yeah, no becoming anti-social and disappearing just because you're a sorcerer now," Fred joked.

"I won't, I promise. I'll only live in isolation for half my life," Harry joked back.

Fred grinned and ruffled his hair. He said goodbye to everyone else, including Ginny who gave him a hug too. And then he was off to his house with bags of gifts and food. When he got there, Malfoy was plopped in the living room with a Butterbeer watching old Quidditch plays on their new wizard TV. It was very different from a muggle TV because it could change sizes so if you wanted a smaller or larger screen. Plus, it could float and change channels by itself and do a number of different things. Malfoy looked up when Harry entered.

"How was the lame Christmas party at the Weasel's?" Malfoy drawled.

Harry just smiled. "Well, I brought home lots of great food. You hungry?"

Malfoy shrugged and stood up to examine what Harry had brought home.

"You could've come in disguise or something."

Malfoy snorted as he rummaged through the containers, levitating different ones out of the bag. "Please Potter. Christmas is such a lame holiday. The only thing it's good for is having a break from training and being able to sit and do nothing but drink Butterbeer or go to a pub."

"Which most aren't open on Christmas anyway."

Malfoy gave him a look and then chose the dragon meat and the mashed pumpkin potatoes. He levitated them out onto the counter, murmured a spell and they were steaming hot again.

"So…I told Ron and Hermione I'm gay."

Malfoy glanced up at him and raised an eyebrow. "Did Weasel keel over and die?"

"No, but he certainly looked like he wanted to."

Malfoy smirked. "Figures. And I take it Granger was all too supportive."

"For the most part yes. She was surprised, but not as overwhelmed."

Malfoy just shrugged as he sat down. "It's a shame no one died of shock."

Harry just shook his head. He waited a few minutes as Malfoy ate before he spoke again.

"I got you a gift," Harry said.

Malfoy had seated himself at the table and glanced up at him. "A gift, Potter?"

"Yeah, it's the spirit of the holiday. Getting free things," Harry said shrugging. "Do you want it now or do you want to wait until tomorrow?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes and sighed. "I guess just give it to me now. Might as well get it over with. Besides, I'm going to go practice Quidditch training in the nearby park tomorrow."

Harry just nodded and then summoned the present from his room. He then levitated it toward Malfoy. The blond opened it up and Harry saw his eyes widen. It was a small upgrade from the broom Harry had—the newest broom there was: The _Elixir1000X_. There weren't many copies of it, because it was still new and the most wanted broom because it could do all sorts of moves. It was protected from most hexes and jinxes, even the more powerful ones. And it was very easily maneuverable.

Malfoy seemed speechless and Harry was glad about it.

"I'm sure it'll help you while you're training."

Malfoy marveled at it and ran his hands down the length of it. Harry smiled, glad that he could please him. He knew Malfoy wouldn't be able to get the broom, because there were only so many made per year. And it was extremely expensive. It wouldn't be released completely until the spring because of how advanced it was. But that was one good thing about being famous. And it definitely awed Malfoy and that's what Harry was hoping for.

Malfoy glanced at him briefly and then looked away. The blond didn't know how to say thank you very well or show appreciation, but by the expression on his face when he saw it, Harry knew the blond was grateful. And he didn't want to put too much pressure on him.

"Well, I'm going to go to bed. I've had a long day and ate too much food. Feel free to finish all the leftovers. Goodnight."

Harry walked up to his room, sighing heavily. It was still a disappointment to see that Malfoy wasn't completely opened up. The blond was definitely improving and Harry had seen signs of it when he had saved his life, but he was beginning to lose patience. He went to sleep, since usually they slept in separate beds unless they had sex, which was still rather consistent. But that night Harry was too tired so he just went to sleep. And he slept in a lot longer than he planned.

When he woke up, he went into Malfoy's room to see that he had already left for training. Harry then trudged down the stairs, itching for some tea. He spent most of the day just lounging around and taking a break from studies. It was nice to have a holiday, though he wished Draco was there. The blond came home a few hours later and Harry prepared them some lunch.

Harry was content to eat with Malfoy's presence, asking him about his training and such. But soon after eating, Malfoy said he'd be going out for a little more practice and wouldn't be back until late. Harry nodded reluctantly and then went upstairs to take a shower. He took a rather long shower just thinking about things. And then once he was in his boxers, he went downstairs for a Butterbeer. He stopped suddenly in the kitchen when he saw an object covered with a sheet on the kitchen table. Harry approached it uncertainly. It hadn't been there before he took a shower. Had Malfoy put it there before he left?

Curiously, Harry lifted the sheet. What he saw made him gasp aloud. He stared wide-eyed at the beautiful white Ash Demon inside a large cage. There were instructions floating just outside the cage and in flashing charmed letters read: _How To Care For An Ash Demon. _Harry opened it up and read some things, like how the cage could expand to up to five times its size, about as big as Harry's bed, to give the Ash Demon a lot of space. Also, there were two parts to the cage: the land, with tons of plants, food, flowers, etc. and then the water side where the Ash Demon could go under about five or so feet of water and nest in one of their favorite flowers called Rozalindas. They looked similar to muggle Lotus flowers, only with longer, smoother petals and curled up automatically when the Ash Demon snuggled inside of it.

Harry was so overwhelmed with emotions. Draco had remembered that Harry loved Ash Demons and he particular had bought the ivory one that Harry had been attached to. The little dragon walked up to the cage and Harry opened it, allowing the creature to walk onto his hand. It made a sound and Harry pet its smooth soft head. This was definitely Draco's way of saying thank you for his present. Ash Demons were no tiny price either, especially because they were a very rare hybrid creature.

As Harry stared down at the Ash Demon, he knew that things would work out between him and Draco. It had taken time for Draco to open up this far, but he had shown signs of feeling the same as Harry did toward him. Harry would still have to patient, and it was possible Draco might never want to have anything to do with his friends, but he sort of liked having a mysterious side. If ever his friends wanted to know about his boyfriend, Draco could take on a disguise, if he wanted. It wasn't impertinent for them to know. Harry was just happy they were finally together. It wasn't perfect, but it was as close as it was going to get with someone like Draco. But there was definitely hope for improvement. And the Ash Demon was proof. Harry smiled, hoping that Draco was enjoying his gift. And perhaps when the blond came home, Harry would thank him properly.

Grabbing a Butterbeer, Harry took his Ash Demon up to his room happily. His life had never been perfect; in fact he had never truly been happy. But for once, after living with Draco and after everything they had been through, Harry realized he _was_ happy. For some reason Draco was all he needed, even though the blond was still sarcastic and frustrating. They both had a lot in common. And even though Draco might not admit it, they needed one another. And Harry was quite certain that things would only get better from there.

_**THE END**_

Thank to reviewers: 

**Kai'sgrl—**hey, aw that's so sweet that you don't want my stories to end. You know, I usually don't want them to end either, but I always feel too guilty when it takes me forever to finish them because readers want to know what's going to happen. So sadly that must end. Oh no! I would never kill Draco off, don't worry! I'm glad you liked this, thanks so much!

**Momo Yuki—**yes sadly an ending! I know Theodore's such as ass, but he got what he deserved, hehe! Thanks for sticking with me!

**slytheringrl17—**hey! Glad you're still enjoying it. Sorry it took a little while to update but finally I got it finished. Now on to other unfinished stories, hehe! Thanks again!

**HyperMint—**Wow, really? Starting college? Yeah, it's a big scary step at first, but seriously make the most of it. I'm actually afraid because I'm graduating mid August. School is relatively easy, I mean if you don't have to work and pay bills. I stayed at home for the most part to save money, but don't worry college is fun and that's where you meet a lot of new people. Hehe! Anyway, thanks for sticking with it! I know it's not the same sort of get-together ending like Captivation, but this story is a darker more realistic version. So they're still "together" just not as a couple who goes out together on regular dates and such. But it still ended on a good note! Thanks for sticking with me!

**The Aqua Mirror**—Aw, thanks so much! I'm very glad you think that I keep them in good character. I'm very relieved to hear that! Yeah, Draco's a very complex character and that's why I decided to write a darker and more realistic depiction of their relationship versus Captivation, which I think is more light-hearted than Draco would really be. So I'm glad you're not upset that this isn't a perfect happily-ever-after. And I'm very flattered that you enjoy my work. I am trying to finish the rest of my unfinished HP stories, so hopefully I'll be able to work on something new soon. Thanks so much for that compliment! I'm glad you stuck with me!

and **Missy Padfoot—**hehe! Yeah, I usually end most stories on a happy note and this is the happiest it'll get considering it's a darker version of Harry and Draco's relationship. But I think hopefully still realistic, considering Draco's personality and how he grew up. But yes, they still sort of "got together" in the end and there's hope that things will get better so unfortunately you'll just have to imagine what'll happen next. Hehe! But thank you for sticking with me and I hope you enjoyed it!

Thanks all for sticking with me to the end. Yes, this is it for Pure Rhapsody. Like I said, not a happily-ever-after like Captivation, but it is a darker and more realistic depiction of Draco and Harry, I think. Still, it ended on a good note, as usual. And thank you everyone for sticking with me through several stories, including this one, which I know took forever to finish, but thank you all for being so patient!


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